A majority of Americans believe that government hiring should be based on merit and experience rather than race or gender identity, according to a new survey from Cygnal. The results highlight strong public support for President Donald Trump’s executive actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from federal hiring practices.
The survey, conducted February 4-5, 2025, among 1,500 likely voters for the 2026 general election, found that 64% of respondents believe government jobs should be awarded based on qualifications rather than identity factors. Another 28% supported a “mix” of merit and identity-based hiring, while only 5% remained unsure.
The results showed a clear partisan divide. Among Republicans, 85% supported merit-based hiring, while 51% of Democrats preferred a mix of merit and identity-based selection. Independents largely sided with Republicans, with 62% favoring merit-based hiring. The survey also found that 55% of Hispanics and 38% of black Americans support hiring based on qualifications alone.
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, directing all federal departments to eliminate DEI-related offices, positions, grants, contracts, and performance requirements. Another executive order focused on federal hiring reforms, emphasizing that government jobs should not be based on ideological commitments to racial preferences or gender identity but instead on competence and experience.
The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has already saved taxpayers over $1 billion by terminating federal DEI contracts. Within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alone, 15 DEI-related contracts worth $28.1 million have been eliminated.
The survey results suggest that Trump’s crackdown on DEI in federal hiring aligns with public sentiment. As government agencies roll back these policies, the debate over merit-based hiring versus identity-driven initiatives is expected to remain a central issue in the political landscape.
