Of the many ideas that Donald Trump has targeted since returning to power as president of the United States of America, his administration’s persistent attacks on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion most clearly represent the culture wars shaping that country. Along with the Elon Musk-led department of government efficiency, Mr Trump has sacked officials across the federal government who were involved in social justice and equity initiatives. Executive orders have forced federal departments to stop all diversity-related events and efforts, including in hiring. Last week, Mr Trump fired Charles Q. Brown Jr, the decorated Black air force general who was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the US armed forces, after the secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, accused him of focussing on so-called woke DEI programmes. Mr Trump had himself promised to remove woke generals if elected. His administration has also threatened universities with funding cuts if they pursue DEI initiatives. These moves point to just how successfully diversity and justice have been turned into lightning rods of racial, ethnic and gender-based tension in the US. In a country that has been both a deeply unequal society and a beacon of progress for many around the world, these are deeply disturbing developments.
Mr Trump has clearly managed to capture sentiments among major sections of American society — especially, though not limited to, White, straight men — that have felt discontent over the growing assertiveness of racial and ethnic minorities, women and LGBTQ people in recent years. He has been helped by Democrats and their liberal allies who, far too often, have also fuelled divisiveness, rushing to condemn this segment of US society as bigoted, without trying to address the economic and social anxieties that have made them vulnerable to messages of hate. Today, this battle is being waged across the country, from the Pentagon to school boards where parents want more oversight over curricula. Heated debates are the bedrock of a democracy. But Mr Trump’s moves risk dragging the US back by more than half a century to a time when privilege was codified; racial, ethnic and sexual minorities were denied opportunities for social and economic advancement; and inequalities deepened further with every generation. That could also embolden forces in other countries pushing narratives of majoritarian victimhood — including in India. History is testament to how societies are most stable and successful through integration. The world cannot afford modern-day segregation.