In a letter sent to several French companies, the Trump administration requires the abandonment of any inclusion or fight against discrimination policy if they wish to continue working with the American federal state. Paris denounces an “unacceptable interference”. © Shawn TheW/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images – Donald Trump at the White House on March 28, 2025. Save save Receive alerts Donald Trump is a document that arouses Bercy and the Quai d’Orsay. According to the revelations of the Echoes and Figaro, confirmed by AFP, several French companies have recently received a letter signed by a certain Stanislas Parmentier, an “contracting agent” acting on behalf of the US State Department at the United States Embassy in Paris. This letter, written in French and English, their request to certify that they do not use the so -called “dei” policy – diversity, equity, inclusion – if they wish to respond to calls for tenders issued by the American federal administration. The request is based on a decree signed by Donald Trump on January 21, 2025, day of his return to the White House. This text, numbered 14173, intends to “put an end to illegal discrimination” and claims to want to “restore professional opportunities based on merit”. He firmly condemns the diversity programs, which he accuses of violating “the spirit of federal laws on civil rights” and of harming “national unity” by promoting identity criteria to the detriment of “individual excellence”. Read also: Trump customs duties: how threatened France and its cars? An “unacceptable interference”, according to the Quai d’Orsayla Missive addressed to French groups requires that its recipients fill in an English form certifying that they respect these new orientations. Otherwise, they are invited to justify their refusal to American legal services. The response time is five days. The content of the document, unusual in its form, does not officially emanate from the American embassy but of a contracting agent, which questions its diplomatic character, according to American business lawyer Christopher Mesnooh, interviewed by AFP. The French Ministry of the Economy confirmed that it has been alerted by companies concerned. The entourage of Eric Lombard, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, said that “this practice reflects the values of the new American government. These are not ours ”. The Minister would intend to remind this position to his American counterparts. The ministry also evokes an attempt at “unacceptable interference” in the internal social policies of French companies. Read also: Bourse: CAC 40 cautious, “Trump has promised that it would be difficult and it is the word” legally problematic requirements in Franceen France, the legislation prohibits the majority of the forms of positive discrimination explicitly based on origin, ethnicity or religion. However, certain representation obligations are well in force, in particular concerning gender equality. Since 2021, companies with more than 1,000 employees have to reach a quota of 30 % of executive executives by 2027, then 40 % in 2030. In accordance with French legislation, companies that would abandon such policies to meet American requirements could find themselves in offense. The Trump Administration is not at its first pressure on foreign groups. At the start of the year, European companies in the telecoms sector had already indicated that they had received similar injunctions. This extraterritoriality arouses concern, while Donald Trump multiplies declarations of economic and commercial firmness. Read also: Elon Musk: Tesla, X, SpaceX, where are the Business of the billionaire, Trump’s right arm? A political and union reaction Confederation of small and medium -sized enterprises (CPME) denounced on Saturday a “attack on sovereignty” and calls on political actors to “make common front”. As for unions, the CGT has urged the government to ensure that “companies do not carry out a policy contrary to equality between women and men, or to the fight against racism”. Solicitated by Le Figaro, Les Échos and AFP, the American Embassy has not officially confirmed the sending of the letter, contenting itself with indicating that 15,600 of a vast operation to revise the federal public procurement. The diplomatic showdown may well tighten if other companies were to receive this type of mail. Read also: Facing Trump, Michel-Edouard Leclerc Tape of the hand on the table and calls for “climbing the ring” Receive our latest news every day, the selection of the main news of the day. (tagstotranslate) Donald Trump
