WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Donald Trump’s sweeping orders to end the government’s diversity, equity and inclusion effort mark a sea change for the country, unwinding decades-long priorities for the nation’s largest employer — the federal government — and broader efforts to push the private sector to ensure its workforce is diverse and inclusive too.
Trump, only days into his second term as president, has shown with his wide-reaching moves that he’s willing to use all the levers of the government to fulfill a longstanding campaign promise and bring about a profound cultural shift across the U.S. from promoting diversity to an exclusive focus on merit.
Hours after taking the oath of office, the president signed an executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government, which he and conservatives have long condemned as discriminatory.
His administration then moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting — a move first …