Lockheed Martin announced on Thursday that it will be “doubling down” on ending its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies after completing an initial review to ensure the company was in compliance with President Trump’s executive order that banned DEI at the federal level.
In an internal memo addressed to all Lockheed Martin employees, the company announced it had completed its review in order to comply with the president’s “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Resorting Merit-Based Opportunity” executive order.
As a result of the initial review, the defense company closed two departments in order to bring their standards in compliance with Trump’s directives.
“Lockheed doubling down on eviscerating any vestiges of DEI is a huge signal for where things are heading culturally, politically, and in corporate America. This is a huge win for Trump and for anyone who wants to return to this country being a real meritocracy,” an unnamed source close to the White House told Breitbart News.
Much of the focus surrounding the president’s anti-DEI order, which was signed on his first day in office, has been on federal workers. The order also orders that all federal contractors, such as Lockheed Martin, end DEI policies if they want to keep receiving contracts, however.
“Since then, we have conducted a thorough review of our efforts to recruit, retain and promote the best aerospace and defense talent in the world to ensure full alignment with the executive order and our core values – Do What’s Right, Respect Others and Perform with Excellence,” Jim Taiclet, the president, CEO, and chairman of Lockheed Martin, wrote to employees.
Some of the changes undertaken by the company includes an end to all goals and incentives based on demographic representation and affirmative action plans, a renewed commitment to equal employment opportunities and anti-discrimination policies and shuttering employee networks and resource groups organized around demographics and identity. The company will also be ending all funding to outside groups for DEI-related consulting and employee training.
“The success of our company rests on the strength of our people, and we have the best in the business at 121,000 strong. We’ve developed technologies and built platforms that protect the freedoms we hold dear,” Taiclet said. “Securing the future is a no-fail mission. That’s why our nation’s leaders turn to us—to drive innovation and deliver unmatched capabilities that make the United States and allies safer, stronger and more prosperous.”
The development was welcomed by the Trump Administration, with one “Trump-world” source telling Breitbart News that the move should be seen as an example for additional companies.
“There needs to be more of this. The woke BS is dead and any company that wants to do business with the government going forward should reject the discriminatory nonsense and be a real meritocracy,” the Trump-world source said. “That’s what America’s about and thank God it’s what our president is about.”
