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The Trump administration has sent a letter to some major companies in the EU warning them to adhere to the executive order banning diversity programs, capital and inclusion.
The letter, sent by the US Embassy in Paris and others around the EU, is said to be Donald TrumpThe executive order for companies outside the United States, if they were a supplier or provider of US government services, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The embassies also sent a questionnaire that ordered companies to confirm their compliance. The document, which has been seen by the Financial Times, is titled “Certification of Compliance with the applicable Federal Anti -Discrimination Law”.
The document says: “The department of state contractors must confirm that they do not work any programs to promote DEI that violate any applicable anti -discrimination laws and agree that such certification is material for the purpose of the government’s payment decision and therefore subject to the Law on False Requirements”.
The letter was also sent by US diplomats to the countries of the East EU and Belgium, the people say.
Documents appear to signal that the Trump administration is expanding its campaign against Dei of foreign companies after launching punishment against American media groups such as Disney.
A senior banker in Paris said he was shocked by the letter. “It’s crazy. … But everything is possible now. The rule of the strongest now prevails.”
The French Ministry of Finance has expressed concern after some of the companies involved informed him of the move.
“This practice reflects the values of the new US government. They are not the same as ours,” said a person close to FranceEconomy Minister Eric Lombard. “The ministry will remind his colleagues in the US government about it.”
The existence of the letter was first reported by the Les newspaper.
The extraterrestrial move may not be applicable according to initial legal estimates, so some directors and their advisers have decided not to respond so far, two people said.
It comes to escalate tensions between the Trump and Europe administration over economic and security policy, as America departs from its traditional allies, especially for trade and full invasion of Russia to Ukraine.
Trump imposed an additional 25 % tax on the US auto sector this week and increased tariffs on European steel and aluminum imports. In response to the EU he works on reciprocal tariffs, but he has not yet decided which products to target.
The stance of Trump officials to Europe was thrown in sharp relief this week when messages for us plans to attack Yemen were revealed in the US media. “I just hate Europe’s bail again,” Vice President JD Vance wrote in a signal conversation group. “It’s pathetic,” Defense Secretary Pete Heget responded.
France is traditionally not a place where DEI programs are rooted due to legal restrictions on collecting racial and ethnic data. Employers are not allowed to factor people’s origin in employment or promotion decisions.
French companies that are potentially exposed to US claims include groups of aviation and defense, consultation providers and infrastructure companies. FT could not immediately determine which companies received the letter.
According to Les Ichos, the letter concluded: “If you disagree to sign this document, we would be grateful if we could have given us detailed reasons that we would follow to our legal department.”
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