France’s foreign trade minister, Laurent Saint-Martin, said Monday that the country will not compromise on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies after reports that the U.S. State Department pressured French companies to abandon such initiatives.
Saint-Martin’s remarks followed revelations that French firms received a letter from a U.S. diplomat, reportedly based at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, stating that President Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI in the federal government also applied to international suppliers. The letter requested companies sign a certification form within five days to confirm compliance.
Saint-Martin told RTL Radio the demands contradict French and EU laws supporting gender equality, anti-discrimination, and disability inclusion. “All of this is progress… we are proud of this and we don’t want to compromise on it,” he said.
French outlet Le Figaro published what it said was a copy of the letter. The U.S. Embassy in Paris has not commented.
Saint-Martin said France will request clarification from U.S. officials but emphasized the importance of continued dialogue.
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