The Dictatorship

McDonald’s is clowning itself with its DEI rollback

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2025

McDonald’s is clowning itself with its DEI rollback

During the height of the racial justice protests that came after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd, McDonald’s joined the fray of businesses and institutions declaring their solidarity with all those committed to ending racism. In a post on June 3, 2020on the platform then known as Twitter, McDonald’s shared a short video listing Floyd’s name alongside other Black victims of violence, including Trayvon Martin and Atatiana Jefferson.

McDonald’s announced this week that it’s stepping away from its previously established DEI goals.

In muted red and yellow tones, the video read: “He was one of us; she was one us,” and continued that the “entire McDonald’s family grieves.” McDonald’s declared itself in solidarity with “victims of systemic oppression,” and made it clear that the corporation stands “with Black communities.” It offered as proof its donations to the Urban League and the NAACP. The video ended with a black screen with white letters: “Black lives matter.”

It’s unlikely that McDonald’s will be posting a similar video anytime soon. McDonald’s announced this week that it’s stepping away from some of its previously established DEI goalsretiring a specific DEI pledge and changing the way it refers to its diversity team.

The gestures made during the summer of 2020 appear to have been compelled more by peer pressure than by principle. Now, leaders of organizations from big-box stores to universities have publicly disavowed policies promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, whose acronym DEI has become shorthand for any and all attempts to address centuries of homogeneity, inequality and exclusion in educational and professional spaces.

In other sectors, leadership and development support programs for racial and ethnic minorities have been renamed, restructured or simply retired. And in light of the Supreme Court curtailing affirmative action in higher education and a concerted conservative onslaught on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, McDonald’s frames its move as an attempt to pre-empt further court challenges to its diversity efforts.

In a Jan. 6 open letter to employees and franchisees that acknowledges “the shifting legal landscape,” the company’s senior leadership team announced what it called “a new concept: the power of OUR ‘Golden Rule’ — treating everyone with dignity, fairness and respect, always.” The company says it is:

“retiring setting aspirational representation goals and instead keeping our focus on continuing to embed inclusion practices that grow our business into our everyday process and operations”
“pausing external surveys to focus on the work we are doing internally to grow the business”
“retiring Supply Chain’s Mutual Commitment to DEI pledge in favor of a more integrated discussion with suppliers about inclusion”
and “evolving how we refer to our diversity team, which will now be the Global Inclusion Team.”

McDonald’s senior leadership said it remains committed to inclusion and believes a diverse workforce is a competitive advantage.

How it distributes its supply contracts not only impacts which companies get the opportunity to stock McDonald’s restaurants with hamburger buns and sausage patties, but it also impacts workers who prepare these essential goods. “Pausing external surveys” means aggrieved employees may have trouble collecting data and information on potentially discriminatory action within the organization.

McDonald’s is among a few corporations that have profited heartily from the idea that they are a friend to Black communities. Long before the summer of 2020, the summer of 1968 (which followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.) spurred soul-searching and reflection about how people in power could be vehicles for social change. Unfortunately, in both eras, many of the proposed solutions pivoted on businesses making commitments to recruit more talent of color while also eyeing the ways that these seemingly pro-social policies could also yield more profits.

McDonald’s has profited heartily from the idea that it is a friend to Black communities.

McDonald’s had already emerged as a dominant presence in the fast-food world, but in the late 1960s, the company would distinguish itself as leader in what would eventually be called DEI. The first step was recruiting its first Black franchisee, Herman Petty, to reopen a store on Chicago’s South Side in December 1968, and enlisting Black regional managers and advisers to build what would be called “Black stores.” A numerically modest but economically impactful group of Black franchise owners introduced and revived the brand among urban consumers of color. McDonald’s devoted an advertising budget to create content exclusively for minority media and recruited Black celebrities like Michael Jordan and Gladys Knight for national campaigns, making the company a leading source of contracts for Black-owned radio and TV networks, as well as marketing and consulting firms.

The McDonald’s logo appeared on material heralding contributions to civil rights organizations, historically Black colleges and universities and cultural initiatives. Many of those actions were initiated and funded by its growing network of Black franchise owners, who tried to hold McDonald’s accountable for contributing to a loyal and critical part of their consumer market.

Forty-four years after the first Black franchise owner entered the McDonald’s system, the chain selected Don Thompsonits first Black CEO, in 2012. That felt like a sign that the Golden Arches could recognize Black talent after decades of touting itself as a diversity champion in its recruitment efforts. Much of the company’s success — from the 1980s until the mid-2000s — was related to the work of Patricia Sowell Harrisa pioneer in the field of corporate diversity who started her early career at McDonald’s as an affirmative action officer in 1985.

In light of the national backlash against discussing the nation’s history or racism, it may not come as much of a surprise to those who don’t know the company’s history that McDonald’s is disavowing DEI. But so much of McDonald’s branding strategy for the last 50 years has promoted the chain as not just a place to eat cheap food served fast but as a supporter of the Black community and Black entrepreneurship.

This thinking and strategy expanded to other communities that gave birth to affinity groups for Latino franchisees, members of the AAPI community, women and LGBTQ people. This was smart business because it was lucrative, but it was also protective business because such demonstrations of appreciating diversity could also be used to deflect serious and important challenges to the labor experiences of its workers, most of whom are people of color.

So much of McDonald’s branding strategy has promoted the chain as a supporter of the Black community and Black entrepreneurship.

In recent years, when Black franchisees have organized and filed lawsuits against McDonald’s claiming racial discrimination related to the assignment of restaurants and alleging a lack support during challenging times such as the Covid-19 shutdowns, McDonald’s was able to argue its bona fides in creating Black wealth through franchises and its internal commitment to diversity.

But with its announcement that it’s retiring certain DEI policies, McDonald’s seems to have concluded that it doesn’t need the diversity talking points anymore, and although it’s one of the most powerful and influential global corporations with a record that speaks volumes about how diversity initiatives have enriched the company, it doesn’t appear to believe that diversity — no matter how superficial — is worth fighting for anymore.

In McDonald’s announcement, the company argued that its “early and full adoption of inclusion gives us a competitive advantage,” which both recognizes and glosses over the dynamic history that McDonald’s has had in DEI and signals that the company hopes the public will use the past to inform the present. But it’s still uncertain what the future will hold for a company that once touted itself to be a fast-food leader and has revealed that, like most corporations, it’s just a self-interested follower.

Marcia Chatelain

Marcia Chatelain is a professor of African American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America.”

The Dictatorship

FSU shooting victim’s family files federal lawsuit against OpenAI

Published

17 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

FSU shooting victim’s family files federal lawsuit against OpenAI

May. 12, 2026, 6:16 PM EDT

Happy Tuesday! Here’s your Tuesday Tech Dropthe past week’s top stories from the intersection of politics and technology.

OpenAI sued over FSU shooting

The family of a victim killed in a shooting at Florida State University last year is suing OpenAIalleging the shooter was inspired and advised by its chatbot, ChatGPT, on how to maximize damage.

The federal lawsuitfiled in Florida, claims ChatGPT informed the alleged shooter on how to operate certain guns and when FSU’s campus would be busiest. According to the suit, ChatGPT responded to a query about how to gain the most attention by saying in part:

Context also matters — fewer victims can still lead to national coverage if it happens at an elementary school or major college, if the shooter is a student or staff member, or if there’s something culturally or politically charged (for example, racial motives, a manifesto, or mental-health implications).

OpenAI declined responsibility, BLN reported:

OpenAI said that while the FSU shooting was a “tragedy,” ChatGPT is “not responsible.”

“In this case, ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions with information that could be found broadly across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity,” said OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri. “We work continuously to strengthen our safeguards to detect harmful intent, limit misuse, and respond appropriately when safety risks arise.”

As BLN noted, this litigation adds to a growing list of lawsuits accusing ChatGPT of fueling harmful behavior. And, to be clear, this issue isn’t unique to OpenAI: There have been numerous incidents — such as xAI’s Grok being used to produce nonconsensual sexual imagesincluding ones depicting children — that suggest the public ought to remain skeptical of chatbots and their effect on society.

France’s X investigation

Speaking of Elon Musk’s Grok, French investigators have escalated their probe — over the chatbot’s dissemination of Holocaust denials and nonconsensual deepfakes — to a criminal investigation. Musk has called the investigation a political attack, without providing evidence. According to CNBC, the escalation comes after Musk declined to appear for questioning. Last month, President Donald Trump’s Justice Department officially refused to assist French investigators in getting Musk to comply.

Judge slams DOGE’s humanities cuts

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, calling the cuts discriminatory. The judge also rebuked employees at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency for trying to blame ChatGPT, which they used while trying to decide which programs to slash.

Canvas hack underscores cybersecurity cuts

I wrote about the recent ransomware attack on Canvas, an educational app used by thousands of K-12 schools and universities across the country, and how the debilitating hack spotlights the danger in the Trump administration’s gutting of cybersecurity programs.

A new ICE-monitoring app emerges

The developers behind Tucson Migra Map, which allows users to track U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, explained to The Associated Press why they believe their platform is positioned to avoid the fate of other ICE-tracking apps that have been taken offline amid pressure from the Trump administration.

Texas sues Netflix

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtonwho is running for the U.S. Senate, has filed a lawsuit in his official capacity against Netflix, accusing the streaming platform of “spying” on users, collecting data without consent and deploying features designed to make the platform addictive. A Netflix spokesperson said in a statement that the lawsuit “lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information.”

Trump Mobile drives buyers mad

MS NOW’s Ari Melber delivered a great segment spotlighting customers who ordered Trump-branded mobile phones feeling “duped” and “angry” after not receiving anything for more than a year. He explained why a recent update to the preorder terms and conditions means the phones may never arrive.

Read my colleague Allison Detzel’s write-up of the segment — and watch the segment in full — at MS NOW.

Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.

The Dictatorship

Trump is usually immune to political gaffes. This slip-up is different.

Published

17 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Trump is usually immune to political gaffes. This slip-up is different.

May. 12, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT

In his decade in national politics, Donald Trump has transformed the meaning of the political gaffe. As a campaigner and as president, he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to bulldoze over controversies stemming from embarrassing, tone deaf or outright offensive remarks. But it’s genuinely hard to see how a tin-eared remark he made Tuesday won’t haunt him.

Before leaving for his trip to ChinaTrump took questions from the press on the White House lawn. About 10 minutes into his appearance, a reporter asked“When you’re negotiating with Iran, Mr. President, to what extent are Americans’ financial situations motivating you to make a deal?”

Without hesitation, Trump replied, “Not even a little bit.”

He continued: “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran — they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”

I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.

Democrats have just received the ideal video clip for midterm messaging.

Trump’s favored escape hatch — passing off an off-color or foolish remark as a joke — is not available here. In clips of his remarks, which immediately spread like wildfire on social media, Trump speaks emphatically, and his tone makes it clear that he’s speaking with clear and serious intention.

President Trump said he doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situations as he negotiates with Iran, “not even a little bit,” as he took questions from reporters before leaving for China.

“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear… pic.twitter.com/Yb2ErKl8t2

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 12, 2026

Even during an era in which Trump has raised the bar for impropriety and scandal unthinkably high, there’s a reason this blunder has the juice in a way most of Trump’s remarks don’t: He has committed a gigantic Kinsley gaffe. That’s a reference to former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley’s definition of a gaffe as “when a politician tells the truth — some obvious truth he isn’t supposed to say.”

The truth, in this case, is that Trump obviously doesn’t care about ordinary Americans’ financial well-being. It’s sticky not just because he said it, but because he has long been acting like it.

The war with Iran caused an entirely predictable oil shock in the Strait of Hormuz, and in turn, an entirely predictable blow to Americans’ wallets. Every serious energy and security observer of the region knew that this was a likely effect of such a conflict. But Trump went ahead anyway because he was so fixated on claiming another regime change that he didn’t stop for a moment to think about the repercussions.

This accidental truth-telling by Trump underscores how much his second term is politically fraudulent. He largely won the White House again because of lingering resentment over inflation during the Biden administration and rosy memories of Trump’s economic performance, alongside his promises of “no new wars.” His campaign ran ads proclaiming “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you.” Now he’s admitting — both in word and deed — that all that was a lie, and that his top priority is an unpopular project he was never elected to carry out.

My belief — and hope — is that this is the kind of clip that will have potency not only with Democrats, but also independents and soft Trump voters who are already souring on Trump due to the war in Iran and high costs of living. It’s the kind of thing that Trump can be hammered with not just by the Democratic Party, but also the isolationist, Tucker Carlson-aligned wing of the GOP.

While Trump flails in negotiations with an increasingly resolute Iran, he obsesses over a $1 billion White House ballroom project and continues to use his presidency to enrich himself and his family.I don’t think about anybody. The only part Trump is missing is “but myself.” But I’m increasingly confident that most voters can fill in the blanks.

Zeeshan Aleem is a writer and editor for MS NOW. He primarily writes about politics and foreign policy.

The Dictatorship

Patel clashes with lawmakers over excessive drinking allegations

Published

17 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Patel clashes with lawmakers over excessive drinking allegations

May. 12, 2026, 5:38 PM EDT

Democratic lawmakers at a Justice Department budget hearing Tuesday blasted FBI Director Kash Patel about his behavior, as well as fresh reports about the Trump administration’s investigations into internal leaks and the president’s enemies.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., began the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing by condemning the firing of FBI agents and accusing Patel of “weaponizing” the agency to seek political revenge on behalf of Trump, particularly against journalists “who write stories that you don’t like.”

Van Hollen called reports of”https://www.ms.now/news/fbi-chief-shown-in-raucous-locker-room-celebration-during-olympics-trip”>Patel’s misconductspecifically his drunken behaviorwhich he has denied, “extremely alarming.”

“If true, they demonstrate a gross dereliction of your duty and a betrayal of public trust,” Van Hollen said.

In a loud exchange, Patel then accused Van Hollen of “drinking margaritas with felons,” alluding to a photo Van Hollen has said was staged when he went to El Salvador to visit Kilmar Abrego Garciaa Maryland man who was illegally deported.

“You drink during the day, that’s you,” Patel said.

Asked by Van Hollen if he would take a test to determine whether he has a drinking problem, Patel agreed to do it alongside him.

“I’ll take any test you’re willing to take,” Patel said.

In his opening remarks, Patel touted successes under his leadership and tried to frame Van Hollen’s comments as an attack on the bureau.

“This FBI is doing a historic level of crime reduction across the country. I’m proud to lead it,” Patel said. “And if you want to cite media reporting to discredit the men and women of the FBI, go right ahead. The target’s right here. The mission’s never been more successful.”

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., questioned Patel about his trip to the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, where he was captured on video chugging beer with the U.S. men’s hockey team in a locker room. Coons asked how much the trip cost and how it furthered the FBI’s mission.

Patel did not offer a number but said that there were no major security issues involving American citizens at the Games, and that it is standard practice for the FBI and other federal agencies to work security at sporting events such as the Olympics, World Cup, F1 races and the Super Bowl.

Patel said the trip coincided with a mission to return to the U.S. a top Chinese cyber criminal who at the time was housed in Italian custody.

Patel’s appearance before the committee, alongside the heads of the DEA and the ATF, comes on the heels of new reports that the Justice Department subpoenaed journalists covering the Iran war to uncover their sources at the direction of President Donald Trump, according to CNN and The Wall Street Journal.

Trump indirectly instructed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to investigate the reporters by placing a sticky note with the word “treason” written on it atop a stack of printed news articles, officials familiar with the matter told the news outlets.

After Blanche received the stack of articles, the DOJ issued several subpoenas, according to the reports. The department’s National Security Division was already planning to look into some of the stories’ sources, but Trump’s concern expedited the effort, one official told BLN.

The DOJ did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on the reports. A spokesperson for the department told the Journal that “in all circumstances, the Department of Justice follows the facts and applies the law to identify those committing crimes against the United States.”

Separately, a person directly familiar with the matter confirmed to MS NOW that FBI agents have been conducting voluntary interviews of CIA officers as part of the investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan over his role in the investigation that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections. Last month, the DOJ began withdrawing several subpoenas it had issued in the criminal probe of Brennan, opting instead for the voluntary interviews.

MS NOW’s Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig contributed to this report.

Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.