Paramount Global has begun rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, citing directives from the Trump administration. This move comes as the media giant faces increasing legal and regulatory challenges, including a $20 billion lawsuit from President Trump against CBS News and the need for federal approval on its planned merger with Skydance Media.
In a memo to employees, co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins acknowledged that “changes in the way the company approaches inclusion moving forward” are necessary to align with federal guidance. One of the most significant shifts includes the removal of numerical hiring goals based on demographic characteristics, along with an end to the collection of such data in the hiring process except where legally required.
Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator II (2024), Paramount Pictures
The company is also eliminating the DEI component of its short-term incentive plan, which previously tied 5% of incentive funding to success in DEI initiatives. Instead, it will now focus on “Workforce Culture and Development,” emphasizing leadership development and broader employee engagement.
This rollback comes as the Trump administration intensifies its stance against DEI policies in both the public and private sectors. An executive order issued in January directed federal agencies to not only eliminate such programs but also to pressure private corporations to do the same. The administration has made it clear that businesses seeking regulatory approvals may face additional scrutiny if they maintain policies that prioritize demographic-based hiring.
The timing of Paramount’s decision raises questions about its motivations, especially given its ongoing legal battles and merger negotiations.
A screenshot from Transformers One (2024), Paramount Pictures
The company’s $8 billion deal with Skydance hinges on approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is now chaired by Brendan Carr, a Trump-appointed official. Carr has publicly stated that the lawsuit against CBS News—filed by Trump over allegations of deceptive editing in a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris—will likely be a factor in the FCC’s decision-making process.
Meanwhile, the FCC has ramped up its investigations into DEI programs across the industry. Comcast and NBCUniversal are also under scrutiny, with Carr expressing concerns that their policies may not align with federal regulations. With the Paramount-Skydance merger on the line, the company appears to be taking a strategic approach to avoid potential roadblocks.
This shift also aligns with broader trends in the media industry. Paramount is not alone in re-evaluating its approach; other major players, including Disney and Amazon Studios, have also pulled back on DEI initiatives amid shifting political and regulatory pressures.
Sylvester Stallone as Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi in Tulsa King (2022), Paramount Plus
Paramount’s decision underscores the reality that businesses operating in highly regulated environments must carefully navigate federal expectations. Whether this move is purely a compliance decision or a calculated effort to curry favor with the administration remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the future of DEI in corporate America is now closely tied to the policies of Washington, D.C.
What do you think about Paramount overhauling its DEI mandates? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Paramount’s doing this because they want to curry favor. Trump named them in addition to CBS in a $20 billion defamation suit and both parties only just agreed to mediation; they want to get on his good side. Skydance might not even want to continue the merger after all is said and done because the whole thing has been a disaster from the word go. First it was Shari Redstone setting an insane buyout price that had to be negotiated down, now it’s CBS tanking the entire company.
DEI was always illegal, but now companies are worried that people will be more emboldened to file lawsuits, so they are removing the evidence of anti-white male discrimination.
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