Major US defense companies including Lockheed Martin and RTX have scaled back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid investor engagements. Isaac Willour of Bowyer Research reports these changes prioritize core business over political activism. The moves follow President Trump’s 2025 executive order on government DEI.
Isaac Willour, director of corporate engagement at Bowyer Research, writes that his firm has engaged with prominent US defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, RTX, and General Dynamics over the past year. Representing clients like The Heritage Foundation and investor David Bahnsen, the engagements urged companies to distance from past DEI initiatives and reject anti-Israel activism to focus on national defense capabilities. Willour notes this contrasts with prior left-leaning ESG and DEI activism that pushed for divestment from Israel and more diversity programs at firms like Lockheed Martin and Intel. Specific changes include Lockheed Martin suspending identity-based employee workforce groups; RTX exiting partnerships with the Human Rights Campaign; Boeing no longer incorporating DEI into executive pay; and Texas Instruments ceasing use of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s ‘hate group’ list for charity vetting. These developments gained momentum from President Trump’s 2025 executive order rolling back government DEI initiatives. Willour quotes Secretary of War Pete Hegseth: “We want you fighting real wars, not culture wars.” He describes the engagements as good-faith efforts welcomed by companies seeking to reaffirm their core mission amid geopolitical tensions.