Donald Trump boasts about getting rid of ‘woke cr*p’

After just over a week in office, Donald Trump is already boasting that he has defeated so-called ‘wokeness’.

The 78-year-old president sang his own praises yet again during a Las Vegas rally on Saturday (25 January), claiming the executive orders he had signed over the last five days had gotten rid of “the woke cr*p” in government.

Following his inauguration last week, Trump has signed a slate of executive orders implementing deeply controversial policies, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and introducing harsher border enforcement policies.

Trump also signed several orders attacking LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans and non-binary people, including an order declaring that there are “only two sexes.”

The new Republican administration also attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, which help to provide equity for marginalised groups, particularly in work environments.

During his rally on Saturday (25 January), Trump baselessly claimed that companies never wanted to impose the policies in the first place and were instead pressured to do so.

“I don’t think they believed it,” he claimed, adding that he “got rid of the woke cr*p.”

While several companies have reversed DEI practices over the past year, including Harley Davidson, McDonald’s, and Coor’s Light, several major companies across the US have vowed to keep their DEI initiatives in the face of conservative pressure.

Tech company Apple reportedly rejected a proposal to dismantle its DEI programmes, with its board labelling it as “unnecessary” and restrictive. Similarly, Microsoft has reaffirmed its commitment to DEI practices.

“The business case for D&I is not only constant but is stronger than ever, reinforcing our belief that a diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial for innovation and success.” chief diversity officer, Lindsay-Rae McIntyre, wrote in a post in December.

Other companies standing firm include Costco, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and more.

“We will continue to reach out to the Black community, the Hispanic community, the veterans community, LGBTQ+ … they like what we do,” JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said to ABC News.

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