PARIS — On Sunday, a French minister raised concerns about U.S. diplomatic actions, accusing American officials of meddling in French corporate affairs. This accusation comes after reports surfaced regarding a letter directed at French businesses, suggesting changes in alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump’s retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs might extend internationally.
French news outlets have reported that the contentious letter originated from a U.S. State Department representative based at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. However, the embassy has not addressed queries related to this issue over the weekend.
Le Figaro, a prominent French newspaper, published a version of the letter, which indicated that a recent executive order by Trump abolishing DEI measures from January also pertains to all entities contracting with the U.S. Government, irrespective of their nationality or operating country. The letter demanded that recipients fill out, sign, and submit a certification form within five days to confirm compliance.
The certification, also revealed by Le Figaro, stipulated that all contractors of the Department of State must affirm they do not run DEI programs infringing on anti-discrimination laws. It required signatories to certify, through a checkbox, that they do not engage in any DEI activities contradicting Federal anti-discrimination statutes.
The letter further requested that if companies decline to sign, they should provide a detailed explanation for refusal, which would be relayed to legal departments.
On this matter, Aurore Bergé, France’s minister dedicated to gender equality and combating discrimination, remarked on Sunday that the letter exemplifies “interference.” She emphasized that it represents an external attempt to impose dictates on French businesses.
In an interview with BFMTV, Bergé disclosed that the French government is meticulously monitoring the situation, seeking to determine the scope of letter distribution across enterprises in France. The minister indicated that numerous companies have expressed their reluctance to respond, as they perceive it as an ill-suited ultimatum issued by the U.S. diplomatic lever within France.
Bergé affirmed, “We refuse to restrict our businesses from championing social progress,” adding that fortunately, many French companies intend to maintain their existing policies without alteration.