Over 160 business groups call on President Trump to withdraw executive order banning some diversity trainings

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Over 160 business groups call on President Trump to withdraw executive order banning some diversity trainings
President Donald Trump signed executive order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, on Sept. 22.Evan Vucci/AP
  • More than 160 business and nonprofit groups are calling on President Trump to withdraw his recent executive order that bans or limits some diversity and inclusion (D&I) trainings within government agencies and contractors.
  • The leaders, which include dozens of state and city chambers of commerce as well as the US Chamber of Commerce, voiced their concerns in an open letter published Thursday, The Wall Street Journal first reported.
  • The executive order, which was passed on Sept. 22, banned agencies or companies receiving federal funding from participating in "offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating" trainings.
  • Days after Trump's executive order, the Office of Management and Budget told federal agencies to review trainings that included terms such as "critical race theory," "white privilege," and "unconscious bias."
  • According to the signatories of the public letter, the executive order has had "a chilling effect on legitimate and valuable D&I training companies use to foster inclusive workplaces."
  • It also hinders "the ability of employers to implement critical programs to promote diversity and combat discrimination in the workplace," according to the signatories.
  • The open letter comes as some 200 CEOs from companies like Microsoft, Walmart, and JPMorgan unveiled a new plan to address racism in America, signaling a growing divide between business leaders and the Trump administration.
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