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James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of Georgia and later the 39th president of the United States , has died. Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died at the age of 100 on Sunday, December 29, his son announced. An immediate cause was not given. He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals. “Earlier in my life, I thought the things that mattered were the things that you could see, like your car, your house, your wealth, your property, your office. But as I’ve grown older I’ve become convinced that the things that matter most are the things that you can’t see—the love you share with others, your inner purpose, your comfort with who you are,” Carter said. He continued his volunteer work for decades after leaving office until he entered hospice care in February 2023. Carter, who throughout his political life went by Jimmy rather than James, was a towering figure in Democratic politics, both during and after his time in the White House . As president, he emphasized human rights in his foreign policy, championed environmentalism at a time when it was not yet popular and appointed record numbers of women and people of color during his administration. However, he was considered a “failure” by some as president, a view Carter attributed to him only serving one term. But, he continued to serve the public after leaving office - including building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity. “In all of our lives, there are usually a few precious moments when we feel exalted — that is, when we reach above our normal level of existence to a higher plane of excitement and achievement,” Carter said in 2009 . “I predict that every one of you who volunteers to help others in need will feel this same sense of exaltation. I believe that, in making what seems to be a sacrifice, you will find fulfillment in the memorable experience of helping others less fortunate than yourself.” Carter was born in 1924 in the small farm town of Plains, Georgia. His father, James Earl Carter Sr, was a farm supply businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. The young Carter attended public school in Plains, and as a teenager, he used an acre of his father’s land to grow and sell peanuts. Carter continued his studies at Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1946, he obtained a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy. Over the next several years, he devoted his life to the Navy, serving on submarines and earning the rank of lieutenant. While stationed in Schenectady, New York, he studied nuclear physics and became a senior officer on one of the United States’ first nuclear submarines. During his senior year of studying at the Naval Academy, he was reintroduced to a girl he knew in his childhood: Rosalynn Smith. “The moon was full in the sky, conversation came easy, and I was in love,” Rosalynn Carter described in her memoir First Lady from Plains . The two married in 1946, the year he graduated. The next year, their first child, Jack, was born, followed by James in 1950, Donnell in 1952 and Amy in 1967. After 77 years of marriage, Rosalynn died on 19 November 2023 at 96 years old. Carter attributed much of his success to Rosalynn saying, “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” In 1952, James Carter Sr died. Upon learning of his father’s death, Carter resigned from the Navy and returned home to Plains, where he took over his family’s farms and business. He soon took on more of a leadership role in the community, serving on several county boards. In 1962, he ran for and won a seat in Georgia’s State Senate. In 1970, Carter ran again for governor of Georgia and won. In his inaugural address, he shocked many of his supporters by demanding an end to racial discrimination. As governor, he dramatically increased the number of Black judges and state employees, consolidated the state’s labyrinthian bureaucracies and enforced stricter oversight of budgets. In a preview of his presidency, however, he frequently clashed with the state’s legislature, which found him arrogant and difficult to work with. Meanwhile, Carter maneuvered his way toward the Democratic nomination for president. In 1974, just before his term as governor ended, he announced his candidacy for the White House – two years before the next presidential election. “With the shame of Watergate still with us and our 200th birthday just ahead, it is time for us to reaffirm and to strengthen our ethical and spiritual and political beliefs,” Carter said in December 1974. “There must be no lowering of these standards, no acceptance of mediocrity in any aspect of our private or public lives. “In our homes or at worship we are ever reminded of what we ought to do and what we ought to be. Our government can and must represent the best and the highest ideals of those of us who voluntarily submit to its authority.” Though he had little national support at first, Carter spent his ample lead time vigorously campaigning and cleverly positioned himself as a Washington outsider with strong Christian principles. After years of government lies about Vietnam and Watergate, that was just what many Americans thought they needed. By the 1976 Democratic convention, Carter had grown enough momentum to win the nomination on the first ballot. In the general election, he attended three debates with President Gerald Ford – the first presidential debates since the Kennedy-Nixon ones in 1960, and a template setter for the debates held since. In November, Carter narrowly won the presidential election, scoring 297 electoral votes against Ford’s 240. “I think it’s time to tap the tremendous strength and vitality and idealism and hope and patriotism and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in this country to unify our nation, to make it great once again. It’s not...it’s not going to be easy for any of us,’ Carter said in November 1976. “I don’t claim to know all the answers, but I have said many times in my campaign around all 50 states that I’m not afraid to take on the responsibilities of President of the United States, because my strength and my courage and my advice and my counsel and my criticism comes from you.” What followed was a presidency full of ambition but beset with problems from the start. Even so, many leaders and historians have praised Carter’s conscientious approach to the presidency. Carter’s presidency was weighed down by multiple crises. In the 1970s, the economy struggled with a rare combination of simultaneous inflation and recession, an oil shortage sent gas prices soaring and the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, derailing negotiations for an important arms treaty. Notably, in a struggle that lasted almost as long as his presidency, Carter fought over an energy program that was structured to make fuel expensive enough that consumers would be encouraged to conserve it. The crisis required Carter to address the nation multiple times in 1979. “In order to control energy price, production, and distribution, the Federal bureaucracy and red tape have become so complicated, it is almost unbelievable. Energy prices are high, and they’re going higher, no matter what we do,” he said in an April 1979 speech. “There is no single answer. We must produce more. We must conserve more. And now we must join together in a great national effort to use American technology to give us energy security in the years ahead,” the president said. “The most effective action we can take to encourage both conservation and production here at home is to stop rewarding those who import foreign oil and to stop encouraging waste by holding the price of American oil down far below its replacement or its true value.” However, ultimately, what became cemented in Carter’s legacy were the failures of the Iran hostage crisis, when mobs ransacked the US embassy in Tehran capturing 52 people and holding them hostage for the duration of his presidency. Carter’s efforts to end the crisis were unsuccessful, including a failed rescue attempt. “We will not give up in our efforts,” Carter told the nation in 1980. “Throughout this extraordinarily difficult period, we have pursued and will continue to pursue every possible avenue to secure the release of the hostages. In these efforts, the support of the American people and of our friends throughout the world has been a most crucial element. That support of other nations is even more important now.” “We will seek to continue, along with other nations and with the officials of Iran, a prompt resolution of the crisis without any loss of life and through peaceful and diplomatic means.” The hostages were held for 444 days, a lengthy time that angered many Americans. It helped contribute to Carter’s loss to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter would only win six states in the landslide election that saw him lose the popular vote by nearly 9 million votes. “I’ve not achieved all I set out to do; perhaps no one ever does. But we have faced the tough issues. We’ve stood for and we’ve fought for and we have achieved some very important goals for our country,’ Carter said after losing. “These efforts will not end with this administration. The effort must go on. Nor will the progress that we have made be lost when we leave office. The great principles that have guided this Nation since its very founding will continue to guide America through the challenges of the future.” In 1982, Carter and his wife founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing human rights, leading health initiatives and improving the quality of life for people around the world. Carter helped lead conflict resolutions, observed elections in nations with fraudulent voting processes and advised presidents on issues in more than 80 countries. Under Carter’s leadership, the Carter Center worked alongside the World Health Organisation to nearly eradicate Guinea worm disease, an infection that occurs due to contaminated drinking water. The incidence of the disease decreased from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to 13 in 2022, according to the Carter Center. Carter and his wife also spent one week a year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that helps build homes for low-income people. His humanitarian work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. “I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God’s standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love,” Carter once said. Though he was criticized as an ineffectual public speaker, Carter became a prolific writer, authoring more than a dozen books ranging from his memoirs to inspirational bestsellers. At the beginning of 2023, Carter entered hospice care following multiple hospital stays. His wife later entered hospice care and died on November 19, 2023. Carter, looking frail, attended her funeral but was seen smiling with others offering their condolences. Carter went on to celebrate his 100th birthday on 1 October 2024, making him the oldest president in American history. Surrounded by his loved ones, the frail, wheelchair-bound former president was seen in the backyard of his home watching a military flyover in his honor. His grandson Jason said he had been looking forward to voting for Kamala Harris in the November election. Carter is survived by his four children, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

The Onion's rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones' conspiracy theory platform, which is now poised to remain in his control for at least the near future. What's next for Infowars and Sandy Hook families' long-sought efforts to hold Jones accountable over calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax was unclear, after a federal judge in Houston late Tuesday rejected The Onion's winning bid for the site . U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said he did not want another auction but offered no roadmap over how to proceed. One possibility includes ultimately allowing Sandy Hook families — who comprise most of Jones' creditors — to return to state courts in Connecticut and Texas to collect on the nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuit judgments that Jones was ordered to pay them. “Our hope is that when this process ends, and it will end, and it will end sooner rather than later, is that all assets that Alex Jones has available are paid to the families, and that includes Infowars, and that as a result of that process Alex Jones is deprived of the ownership and control of the platform that he’s used to hurt so many people,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, said in a phone interview Wednesday. The families, meanwhile, were preparing the mark the 12th anniversary of the Dec. 14 shooting. The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case , which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay the $1.5 billion. Jones was sued for repeatedly saying on his show that the 2012 massacre of 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Lopez said there was a lack of transparency in the bidding process and too much confusion about The Onion's bid. He also said the amount of money offered in the only two bids was too low and there needed to be more effort to try to raise as much money possible from the selling of Infowars' assets. The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, submitted a $1.75 million cash offer with plans to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody . The bid also included a deal with many of the Sandy Hook families for them to forgo $750,000 of their auction proceeds and give it to other creditors. Lopez called it a complex arrangement that led to different interpretations of the bid's actual value as well as last-minute changes to a proposed sale order. The other bidder was First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements and planned to let Jones stay on the Infowars platforms. It offered $3.5 million in cash and later, with Jones, alleged fraud and collusion in the bidding process. Lopez rejected the allegations, saying that while mistakes were made there was no wrongdoing. Christopher Murray, the trustee who oversaw the auction, said he picked The Onion and its deal with the Sandy Hook families because it would have provided more money to Jones' other creditors. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday. The judge directed Murray to come up with a new plan to move forward. Murray and representatives of The Onion did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The judge said there was a possibility there could be a trial in 2025 to settle Jones' bankruptcy. He said Murray could try to sell the equity in Infowars' parent company. He also said Murray could abandon the efforts, which could allow the Sandy Hook families to return to the state courts where they won their lawsuits against Jones and begin collection proceedings against him. The judge said he wanted to hear back from Murray and others involved in the bankruptcy within 30 days on a plan to move forward. Mattei, who represented the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said everyone is waiting to see what plan the trustee comes up with. Jones, meanwhile, continued to allege fraud and collusion on his show Wednesday and threatened legal action over what he called an attempted “rigged auction.” On the social media platform X, he called the judge's ruling a “Major Victory For Freedom Of The Press & Due Process." “I don’t want to have to go after these people, lawsuit-wise, but we have to because if you don’t then you’re aiding and abetting and they do it to other people. They made some big mistakes," he said. It's a solemn and heartbreaking week for relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12th anniversary is Saturday, and some of the victims' relatives were traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence on Wednesday evening. The families usually mark the anniversary out of the public eye. Many of the families said their lawsuits against Jones bought back the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones, as well as the trauma of being harassed and threatened by believers of Jones' hoax conspiracy. Relatives said they have been confronted in public by hoax believers and received death and rape threats. Robbie Parker, whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was killed, testified at the Connecticut lawsuit trial in 2022 that the decade of abuse his family suffered made them move across the country to Washington state, and even there he was accosted in person. The families have not received any money from Jones since winning the trials. Jones has been appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments, and has since conceded that the shooting did happen. Last week, a Connecticut appeals court upheld most of the judgment in that state but reduced it by $150 million. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston contributed to this report.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season in a dominant winning performance against Dallas on Sunday. The Eagles also clinched the NFC East division crown with a 41-7 drubbing of the rival Cowboys. With starting quarterback Jalen Hurts absent while in the league’s concussion protocol and backup Kenny Pickett exiting the game early with a rib injury, the Eagles leaned hard on their MVP candidate running back. As has been the case all season, Barkley was up to the task. The seventh-year back carried the ball 31 times for 167 yards, raising his season total to 2,005 rushing yards. Barkley reached the historic 2,000-yard plateau on a 23-yard yard run early in the fourth quarter. With the milestone reached and the game no longer in doubt, the Eagles chose to let the 27-year-old star enjoy the rest of the day from the sideline. “I can’t lie, it’s amazing. It was fun,” Barkley told broadcaster Fox of his feat after the game. “But at the end of the day, the most important thing was to get a win to clinch the division.” Barkley also used his postgame interview with Fox to heap praise on his Eagles teammates. “At the end of the day, my name will be the one that goes across with 2,000, but like I said, you can’t do it without those guys,” Barkley said. “They did all the work, I just followed them, and they made me look a lot better.” Barkley’s remarkable first year in an Eagles jersey already has him in rarified air among the NFL’s all-time greats. The list of 2,000-yard rushers is small, but includes the likes of O.J. Simpson, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson and most recently Derrick Henry, who rushed for 2,027 yards in 2020. “Being a fan of the game and the running back position, to reach a milestone and put myself up there with eight other backs that I respect - some of them I grew up watching - definitely means a lot,” Barkley said after the game. Barkley now needs just 101 yards in the Eagles’ season finale to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105, set in 1984. Dickerson set the record in a 16-game season, prior to the NFL’s expansion to make the regular season 17 games in 2021. Earlier this week, Dickerson told the Los Angeles Times that he didn’t want to see his 40-year-old record fall and predicted that Barkley would come up short. “Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that,” Dickerson said. “But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That’s the way I look at it. If he’s fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it’s a great record to have.” Before Dickerson’s record-setting year, the only player who had eclipsed 2,000 yards in a season was Simpson, who ran for an astounding 2,003 yards in 1973 when the NFL season was just 14 games. In an ironic twist, Barkley’s shot at history will come against his former team the New York Giants, who drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2018 draft. But with the NFC East secured and the postseason looming, the Eagles will have a tough choice to make - rest Barkley to keep him healthy for the playoffs, or let him run for the record books? Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni played it close to the vest after the game. “We’ll see,” the fourth year head coach said. “I always gotta do what’s right for the football team to reach our goals of what we need to do.” Barkley offered some insight into his mindset during his postgame press conference “It’s up to Nick, to be honest,” Barkley said of the situation. “And whatever his decision is, I’m all for it.” “I didn’t come here and sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record,” Barkley said. “I want to do something special, meaning special with the team.”Savvy investments in the stock market could pave the way to incredible wealth accumulation. Take Nvidia , for example. If you invested $10,000 in Nvidia a decade ago, you would be sitting on over $3 million today. Archer Aviation ( ACHR 4.50% ) is an innovative flying taxi company that could revolutionize urban travel. Imagine effortlessly soaring over city traffic in an electric drone-like aircraft, whisked away to your destination in record time. It's the future and could be closer than you think. According to Morgan Stanley , the urban air travel industry could grow into a $9 trillion market by 2050. As cities grow and traffic congestion worsens, demand for aerial transportation will inevitably surge. The question is: Can Archer Aviation seize this opportunity and provide life-changing wealth? Let's examine the company to find out. Archer Aviation looks to reimagine transportation with its Midnight aircraft Archer is one of the leading companies working on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). These aircraft hover vertically and can operate in small spaces. Also, their electric motors are powered by modern battery technology, allowing them to operate quieter than helicopters with less pollution, making them ideal for urban transportation. Archer has been developing its aircraft since 2018 and has made huge strides in getting them commercially operational. Earlier this year, its flagship Midnight aircraft performed a successful transition flight , where it soared vertically, then transitioned from hovering to flying like a typical fixed-wing aircraft. After reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour, it returned for a smooth vertical landing. What's next for Archer Several steps are left before eVTOL operators achieve commercial operations and, more importantly, start producing steady revenue. Archer is making significant strides in its certification process, having completed three of the four required steps. This certification is crucial, since it will confirm that the Midnight eVTOL has met rigorous safety standards and will pave the way for commercial flight operations. The company anticipates receiving the certification by late 2025. In addition to type certification, Archer is also pursuing production certification, which will enable the large-scale manufacturing of its Midnight aircraft. With a factory in Georgia, Archer plans to produce up to 650 aircraft annually, with production projected to commence in 2025. The preparation for air taxis is underway. Archer is partnering with Southwest Airlines to map out electric air taxi networks at California airports served by Southwest. And it is collaborating with Signature Aviation to electrify 200 airports across the U.S. Archer expects to roll out its Los Angeles air mobility network by 2026 while also seeking international expansion, with operations in the United Arab Emirates set to begin as early as 2025. Can Archer Aviation set you up for life? Archer's innovative aircraft could revolutionize urban transportation. As a pioneer in the industry, Archer stands to benefit from a first-mover advantage as it transitions from concept to manufacturing and eventually to large-scale commercial operations. However, the company is still pre-revenue, and positive cash flow is years away. The growth story will take years or even decades to play out, making it best for extremely patient investors with a long time horizon. Its significant upside potential comes with a lot of execution risk around this new form of travel that may take time before it has mainstream acceptance, leaving the stock vulnerable to volatility along the way. If you're looking to build a position in Archer today, a wise approach is to start small and gradually add to it over time , making sure it is part of a well-diversified portfolio . In this scenario, you could benefit from the company's potentially explosive growth. And if it fails to take flight, at least you'll have your other investments to fall back on.

Tesla and Robinhood Unite! What Does This Mean for Gamers?

are reporting a “boom” in the market, with experts suggesting Brexit may have played a part. Surging sales across the country are thought to have been aided by stricter regulations on imports from across Europe following Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. Tesco and Waitrose are now filling their shelves with the more than 200 registered cured meat producers available in the UK. Producers have vowed to prove – like they have with cheese and Andy Mackenzie is the executive chef for Exclusive Collection, which runs a number of Michelin-starred restaurants and five-star hotels. The 60-year-old, who has trained the likes of last year’s MasterChef: The Professionals winner , said he had “absolutely” seen an increase in demand for British charcuterie. “Especially in kitchens, rather than buying things that have come from around the world, we are starting to produce it ourselves,” he told The Telegraph. “We know if you are going to buy from France or Italy you are going to pay extra. Now British charcuterie is becoming more popular, why wouldn’t we be choosing British over foreign? It’s kind of a no brainer.” He compared the growing popularity and availability with that of sparkling English wine and cheese. “Some of the quality of the stuff is amazing,” he continued. “Like our cheese, we are now giving the French and Italian a run for their money. And we are beating the French at English sparkling wine.” He urged those who hadn’t tried British produce to do so, adding: “When you do try it, you wonder why you have been buying foreign-made when you have it on your doorstep from great artisan producers.” Mr Mackenzie said he hoped the more people that indulged would help bring the price down. However, Tesco and Waitrose – which said its customers “love a charcuterie board” – are the only supermarkets across the country currently stocking British charcuterie. Despite this, award-winning butcher Simon Broadribb, 57, said he had seen a “boom” in popularity. “It’s a growing thing,” he said. “A few years ago people wouldn’t have known what it was.” The owner of Upton of Bassett, in Southampton, Hampshire said he now had customers coming in asking for specific dishes they previously would have turned their noses up at. Guanciale – cured pork cheeks – now flies off his meat counter with locals eager to make a “proper carbonara”, he said. Mr Broadribb also noted more British entrants at the most recent World Charcuterie awards. “There’s a massive boom in the charcuterie market,” he continued. “A lot more people are interested in it. It’s good, more people know the product.” He added that Brexit “could well be” the reason, having recently experienced difficulties importing goods himself. “If someone is importing charcuterie, you only have to have one hiccup [in the supply chain] and things start getting expensive,” he said. “People know more about charcuterie and try it with their own pigs and beef. We have got some great stuff on offer and should probably be doing it ourselves anyway.” Former MasterChef winner, Dhruv Baker, told he credited Brexit with the upturn in fortunes. “I think we are seeing fewer smaller continental artisan products in the UK post-Brexit,” he said. “Largely due to the increased cost and time involved with exporting alongside much stricter controls.” A Waitrose spokesman told The Telegraph: “We champion British farming at Waitrose and proudly support award-winning British brands such as The Real Cure, that use responsibly and locally sourced ingredients from Dorset. “We know our customers love a charcuterie board and this allows them to showcase the best of British ingredients, paired with our award-winning British cheeses.”

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report allegesBy ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.

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