EEOC Investigates Nike Over Claimed Anti-White Discrimination

(MENAFN) The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating Nike to determine whether the company engaged in discriminatory practices against white employees. On Wednesday, the commission requested that the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri require Nike to provide information about its human resources policies, particularly those connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

The EEOC is examining whether white staff and job applicants were subjected to “disparate treatment” in areas such as hiring, promotions, layoffs, and training opportunities. The investigation focuses on claims of systemic violations at Nike dating back to 2018. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized that workplace discrimination laws are “colorblind and require the EEOC to protect employees of all races from unlawful employment practices.”

Nike described the subpoena as “a surprising and unusual escalation” and noted that it had already “shared thousands of pages of information.” The company added, “We are committed to fair and lawful employment practices and follow all applicable laws, including those that prohibit discrimination.”

Conservative critics have long argued that DEI initiatives can disadvantage white individuals. US President Donald Trump has made addressing what he describes as “woke bias” a priority of his second term. “I think there is a definite anti-white feeling in this country, and that can’t be allowed,” Trump told Time magazine in 2024.

After returning to the White House in 2025, Trump signed several executive orders rolling back DEI programs in the federal civil service. Some major corporations, including Walmart and Google, have since removed DEI commitments from their public platforms.

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