Tune in for ‘s special report “John Stossel: Give Me Liberty!” on Sunday, June 22, at 7P/6C. Find out how to watch here.
() Libertarian journalist John Stossel said diversity strengthens institutions but argued that DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — programs went wrong by becoming about force rather than voluntary inclusion, making workers afraid to speak freely in the workplace.
“Diversity does make us stronger,” Stossel told ‘s “On Balance,” previewing his upcoming special “John Stossel: Give Me Liberty.” “But not diversity that is forced. I’m a libertarian. Force is bad. And DEI had become about force.”
Stossel, who has been warning about DEI policies for nearly a decade, said he was surprised at how quickly the pendulum has swung back against such programs, even before President Donald Trump’s election victory.
The veteran television presenter argued that DEI initiatives were “captured by the left” and made people afraid to interact with colleagues who were different from them, creating workplace “minefields” that poisoned speech.
“Harvard Business School study found that the companies that had good DEI programs the longest hired fewer Black female managers,” Stossel said. “It just poisons speech. And thank God, it seems to be over.”
When asked what might replace DEI programs, Stossel expressed hope that nothing would, advocating instead for free speech both in and out of the workplace.
