U.S. Orders French Firms to Comply with Trump’s Diversity Ban

The Trump administration has instructed some French companies with U.S. government contracts to comply with his executive order banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, underscoring the extraterritorial reach of U.S. policies and their potential impact on European corporate practices. Mathieu Rosemain and John Irish reported for Reuters.

The mandate raises concerns about the adjustments targeted firms may need to make, given the stark differences between U.S. and French approaches to workplace diversity.

Impacted companies have been asked to confirm compliance via a questionnaire titled "Certification Regarding Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Law," which Reuters has reviewed.

French business daily Les Echos, which first reported the U.S. demand, said the questionnaire was distributed by the U.S. embassy in Paris.

The mandate raises concerns about the adjustments targeted firms may need to make, given the stark differences between U.S. and French approaches to workplace diversity.

In contrast to American corporations, which track race and ethnicity data and set diversity goals, French law largely restricts such data collection, instead focusing on gender and socioeconomic diversity.

The move also fuels broader worries in European boardrooms that the Trump administration is expanding its campaign against DEI policies beyond the U.S., deepening tensions already strained by disputes over tariffs and security alliances.