The New Normal for Corporate Inclusion in the United States: Key Federal Policy Changes in 2025

President Donald Trump began his second term on January 20, 2025, and quickly followed through with many of his campaign promises. At the same time, Seramount launched our ongoing resource, Tracking Policy Changes During the Trump Administration: What US DEI Leaders Need to Know. For the past year, this resource has documented federal policy changes that affect inclusion leaders and inclusion work either directly or indirectly. This report provides a high-level summary of the major policy changes Seramount followed in 2025. It begins by summarizing the direct attacks on inclusion. Next, it explores some of the policy changes that affected employees from historically marginalized communities. Finally, it briefly outlines four major changes to the macroenvironment that have also drastically reshaped the climate in which many organizations operate.