US President Donald Trump’s pressure on the private sector to abandon diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs has now reached Greece, Kathimerini has learned. In mid-March, Greek businesses with contracts with the US Embassy – as service providers, suppliers, or contractors – received a letter requesting details about the DEI programs they implement or support. According to an employee at one of these companies, the message was clear: “Trump wants us to comply and end all these programs.”
DEI programs, which attempt to promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other traditionally underrepresented groups, have been a target of the new president from his first days in the White House, dismissed as a product of “woke” culture. One of his initial executive orders was the elimination of all federal DEI initiatives established by previous administrations.
In February, an investigation was launched into major US companies for potential violations of the new directives. By March, US embassies in Europe – including the one in Greece, as Kathimerini has learned – had sent “compliance” letters to private companies with US government contracts. These letters asked businesses to certify that “they do not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable anti-discrimination laws.”
According to sources, at least two companies responded to the questionnaire in a way that did not raise compliance issues. “At this stage, our company remains committed to diversity programs,” a company representative told Kathimerini. Indeed, all of the company’s DEI initiatives remain publicly listed on its website. An executive at a major technology company also made it clear in private discussions: “We will not succumb to any pressure. For us, it’s business as usual.” Another employee highlighted the paradox: “Until now, whenever we participated in any bidding process with the US government – or even with an American company – we had to complete lengthy forms detailing our DEI footprint and proving our commitment to inclusion. Overnight, we’re being asked to do the exact opposite. We’re going from one extreme to the other.”
How has the business world reacted to this Trump administration policy, and what impact will it have on these programs in Greece? Kathimerini spoke with business executives, organization representatives, and government officials, all of whom – without exception – expressed concern over these developments. They also revealed that changes are already under way.
A telling sign of the prevailing climate is that no one – except for the general secretary for equality and human rights – was willing to comment on the record. Most requested anonymity, asking that we omit any details that might identify them or their company. “This is an unprecedented situation. We have to be careful,” was the general response from those approached by the newspaper. The unease extends even to businesses without government contracts but with ties to the US. One such company had pledged financial support for a program run by a nongovernmental organization. A few weeks ago, however, they made an unusual request: They would honor their commitment but did not want their name to appear anywhere. A similar case involved the Greek branch of an American company, which asked an organization it supports to remove them from its list of sponsors. In both instances, the programs in question focused on vulnerable children and women. “I realized something was changing in Greece in this field on March 8, International Women’s Day,” says the head of corporate responsibility at a major multinational company. “Usually, all large companies run some kind of internal campaign or program. This year, it felt like the issue was buried.”
Another employee from a similar department at a major insurance company with an international presence noted that they recently contacted a conference organizer focused on inclusion to inform them they would not be providing support this year. “I understand you’re backing down because of America,” the organizer responded. The employee clarified that the decision was budget-related rather than political, but from their conversation, it became clear that securing sponsorships this year was proving to be a major challenge.
Employees from three different companies confirmed to Kathimerini that internal discussions are already under way about the need to find new ways – and new language – to describe these initiatives. “A trend of self-censorship has begun. It’s about whether and how we talk about these issues. When the time comes to set our new goals, I will seriously consider choosing something ‘softer’ to stay off the American radar. Let’s not kid ourselves – if you plan to do business in the US, you have to think about these things now,” said an executive at a multinational company.
General Secretary for Equality and Human Rights Katerina Patsogianni emphasizes that for the Greek government, the agenda remains unchanged. “On the contrary, we are currently introducing a series of initiatives to promote respect for diversity, including programs focused on equality and the empowerment of women in the workplace.” She highlights that a European Union directive on gender quotas for corporate boards has recently been legislated, and by 2026, wage transparency will also be mandated. “It seems that we – as the European Union – are moving in the exact opposite direction from the US. We are advancing and taking steps to further establish equal participation for all,” she noted. She also points out that in the US, the so-called “woke agenda” sometimes led to extreme enforcement measures, sparking backlash. “In Greece, however, we are not talking about enforcement but about equal treatment and equal opportunities. This is something we must safeguard,” she said.
An executive at a major consulting firm in Greece agrees that the corporate programs Trump seeks to shut down in this country are not part of the “woke agenda.” “These initiatives focus on leadership, processes, equal opportunities, and governance – essentially, how secure employees feel in the workplace.” This is why he remains optimistic. “I believe that what we are experiencing now, although unsettling, is temporary. The DEI agenda will return – mainly because the younger generation sees inclusion as a necessity. For them, it’s no longer a topic for debate; it’s a given,” he concludes.
USAID programs cut in Greece as well
Patsogianni was not aware of the US government’s decision regarding DEI programs in Greek companies, but she was informed about the impact of the shutdown of the American humanitarian aid organization USAID in Greece.
On March 13, she participated in a closed roundtable discussion with 14 organizations and entities working on gender equality issues in Greece. Among other topics, they discussed recent developments across the Atlantic. “Some of these organizations explained to me that they are directly affected and expressed their deep concern,” she told Kathimerini.
More than 10 organizations now find themselves in limbo. They had been running programs in collaboration with international organizations such as UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF, focusing on refugee support and vulnerable groups, including children and women. A significant portion of their funding came from USAID, which has now been shut down by the new US administration. “Funding for already approved and ongoing programs has been automatically cut. Some of us were even asked to return the advance payments we had received,” a representative of one organization told Kathimerini. They were informed of this development in mid-March and have since been scrambling to fill the funding gap to ensure that vital support for vulnerable groups is not put at risk.
The General Secretariat for Equality and Human Rights was recently asked to respond to a parliamentary inquiry by Kyriakos Velopoulos, leader of the far-right Greek Solution party, regarding how much funding the Greek state has received through USAID. As an example, Velopoulos cited a post from the DOGE department – shared on social media by tech billionaire Elon Musk – about the cancellation of a $25,000 grant allocated to Greece which he said aimed to “support LGBTQ individuals and illegal refugees.” The general secretariat responded that it had not received any funding from USAID. “However, we understand that a campaign to target refugee support has begun, along with a broader witch hunt. If mismanagement has occurred, it should be investigated. But we are also talking about organizations with which we have institutional cooperation and that are doing crucial work. It is important to protect them,” emphasized Patsogianni.
This witch hunt is evident in a series of reports compiled by two Greek Americans – members of a group called Republicans Overseas, which, in reality, does not officially represent the Republican Party in Greece. One of these reports, titled “The American Embassy in Athens: The Woke Ecosystem,” targets 11 institutions – including commercial chambers, educational, philanthropic and cultural organizations with long-standing activity in Greece – accusing them of promoting the “woke agenda” with funding and support from the US Embassy and USAID.
The multi-page report (in which even Kathimerini is labeled as “woke media”) includes photos and social media screenshots from past events, as well as personal posts by individuals connected to these institutions who have criticized President Trump. Their stated goal, as written on the final page, is:
“To prove that all the above institutions must be immediately defunded by all US agencies and those which operate as ‘branches’ of the US government must be immediately shut down, as they pose a direct threat to United States sovereign interests.”
Some of the targeted institutions dismissed the report entirely. Others, however, were alarmed – not because of the report’s content (since many of these organizations have never even received US government funding) – but because they recognize how unpredictable the current political landscape in the US has become.