(NewsNation) — Lawyer C.K. Hoffler and conservative activist Robby Starbuck clashed over whether removing all diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government will “backfire.”
President Donald Trump slashed DEI programs, giving agencies 60 days to cut all positions and to proclaim there are only two genders.
“It’s a bad thing to completely systemically eliminate (DEI) from every branch of the federal government and corporate America,” Hoffler said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “On Balance.” “I don’t think that’s a solution. I think it’s going to backfire.”
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Hoffler said “There is a solution,” but believes eliminating DEI entirely only deepens the divisions in the United States.
Starbuck disagreed entirely, calling DEI programs “wrong and racist.”
“I’m Latino, and I don’t want a special leg up from the U.S. government in order to get a job,” Starbuck fired back. “I want to achieve it on merit, not because I was able to check a box for a company.”
According to a Harris Poll/Axios Vibes poll conducted Jan. 3-5 with 2,128 U.S. adults, 41% support rolling back DEI programs, while 59% oppose it.
