Washington, Jan. 22 -- President Donald Trump, on Day 1, issued a wide ranging set of executive orders that will end any effort to make the American federal government diverse on the grounds that it compromises merit and efficiency. Activists believe that this move, while ostensibly to prioritise merit over identity, will give an unfair advantage to those who are already advantaged and privileged, particularly White people, in hiring processes.
In terms of federal hiring, an executive order said the current system was "broken, insular, and outdated", did not "focus on merit, practical skill, and dedication to our Constitution", and rejected the inclusion of any race or gender related factors as being against merit.
Instead, Trump ordered ...