The crusade in the US against diversity, equality and inclusion - known as DEI in corporate circles - has been gathering pace since a Supreme Court ruling in 2023 found it unconstitutional to consider race in university admissions. This backlash is now ramping up under the second presidency of Donald Trump.

Following claims by the 78-year-old that DEI had a part to play in the mid-air collision in Washington DC that killed 67 people in January, the US president has pledged to eliminate DEI policies in federal government operations and has already curtailed such requirements in public sector hiring and contracts. He is encouraging the country's business leaders to follow suit, and more than a few are responding to the call.

It is often said that we shouldn't take statements by Donald Trump at face value, but as evidenced by the January 2021 mob attack on the US Capitol Building, such advice is both disingenuous and dangerous. The numbers rallying to his "anti-woke" campaign against DEI is further testament to this, though some would argue that it simply illustrates the level of popular support for his views.

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Citigroup, led by its British group chief executive Jane Fraser, is one of a number of major employers curbing its public support for DEI initiatives. Others include Boeing, Ford and Walmart, which have all reduced the visibility of their diversity, equality and inclusion strategies.

The US arm of........

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