Build a government that reflects the people it serves
A government cannot meet the needs of a diverse nation if its decision-makers come from only a narrow slice of it. When every voice is present, public institutions become stronger, wiser, and more capable of serving the entire country. When entire communities are absent, policy becomes distorted by blind spots, inequality deepens, and trust erodes.
Public debate has often distorted what diversity, equity, and inclusion actually mean. The opposite of inclusion is not fairness—it is exclusion. And the opposite of equity is not merit—it is inequity. Ensuring that people from all walks of life have a seat at the table is not about granting special treatment to anyone. It is about preventing the uniformity and gatekeeping that have historically shut millions out of public life.
A government that draws talent from the full breadth of America is better equipped to understand the public, respond to real-world challenges, and restore confidence in our institutions. For a democracy to endure, it must look like the people it represents—across geography, class, service traditions, lived experience, and identity.
Project 2029 is committed to rebuilding a federal workforce, diplomatic corps, and military that reflects the composition of the nation and upholds equal opportunity as a core democratic value. This requires restoring proven frameworks, reversing ideological purges, and ensuring that qualified Americans from every community can serve their country with dignity.
Our platform calls for rebuilding this representative government by:
Restoring the Equal Employment Opportunity framework for federal contractors by reinstating Executive Order 11246 and its amendments. This will reaffirm long-standing protections against discrimination in hiring, promotion, and workplace treatment, and restore the enforcement authority of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to conduct compliance reviews and hold contractors accountable.
Reestablishing a coordinated, government-wide initiative to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce by restoring Executive Order 13583. Agencies must again develop strategic plans to remove barriers to opportunity, modernize hiring and promotion practices, and build a federal workforce that mirrors the country it serves.
Rescinding Executive Order 14185, which dismantled inclusion efforts within the U.S. Armed Forces and chilled open discussion of race, gender, and service culture. Our military is strongest when every qualified American can contribute, and when service members are respected for who they are.
Allowing transgender Americans to serve openly in the military by rescinding Executive Order 14183 and restoring Executive Order 14004. Service should be determined by ability and dedication, not gender identity. The Department of Defense must reinstate medical and administrative standards that allow qualified transgender service members to serve without fear of discrimination.
Restoring protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by reinstating Executive Order 13988. Federal agencies must again align their policies with civil rights law and ensure consistent protection in employment, housing, education, and immigration services.
Rescinding Executive Order 14151, which dismantled federal equity initiatives, banned routine compliance work, and obstructed efforts to reach underserved communities. Restoring these functions strengthens service delivery and prevents the government from reverting to unintentional exclusion.
Rescinding Executive Order 14173, which shut down federal diversity and inclusion efforts across government, blocked agencies from addressing documented discrimination in hiring and contracting, and pressured them to remove even basic equal-opportunity practices. By preventing agencies from using tools that have long helped ensure fair treatment, the order makes workplaces less accountable and leaves existing inequities unaddressed.
Rescinding the memorandum targeting inclusion efforts in the Foreign Service, which removed equity considerations from promotion criteria and created a climate of fear within the diplomatic corps. America’s credibility abroad depends on a diplomatic service that reflects the nation and can navigate a complex world without political interference.
