Las Vegas is playing a game of political dress-up, and conservative voters aren’t buying it.
Instead of following President Trump’s executive order eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from government institutions, city officials decided to simply slap a new label on the same old policies.
According to a report in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, they’re now calling it “Inclusion and Belonging.”
But let’s be clear: you can call a dog a cat, but it’s still a dog.
Hiding DEI in Plain Sight
Anyone looking for Las Vegas’ old DEI program online will find a dead webpage. It’s gone—at least in name.
But this isn’t compliance with Trump’s order; it’s rebranding.
City officials admitted they had been working on this change “well before the end” of 2024, but conveniently couldn’t confirm whether the decision was made before Trump’s victory in November.
According to city spokesperson David Riggleman:
“We know people have many preconceived notions about what DEI is, or isn’t. By renaming the program to Inclusion and Belonging, we can better define what that effort means for our purposes.”
Translation: they want to keep DEI policies in place but hope a fresh coat of paint will keep them from getting shut down.
Trump’s Clear Stance
Trump didn’t mince words on DEI when he campaigned for re-election.
He vowed to end these divisive programs, arguing that they push radical leftist ideology, stoke racial division, and discriminate against qualified individuals in favor of identity politics.
True to his word, within days of taking office in January, he signed an executive order scrapping DEI programs in the executive branch and removing DEI officers from their posts.
And yet, in Nevada, the bureaucratic resistance is in full swing.
Other Cities Follow Suit
Las Vegas isn’t alone in this defiance.
Henderson’s website still features a “Diversity and Inclusion” page, where officials proudly declare their commitment to “equal treatment and inclusion for all.”
When asked if they planned to adjust in light of Trump’s executive order, a city spokesperson flatly stated, “We do not anticipate changes to our current programs at this time.”
North Las Vegas has also left its DEI web page untouched, and Clark County has a fully operational Office of Diversity Division, which it claims focuses on “compliance with state and federal law.”
That’s bureaucrat-speak for “we’ll do whatever we can get away with.”
Critics vs. Reality
Left-wing activists and local officials argue that these programs are necessary for fostering a “strong workplace environment” and ensuring “everyone feels their perspectives are valued.”
But let’s be real: that’s the same language DEI programs have always used to justify race and gender quotas, political indoctrination, and taxpayer-funded social engineering.
Meanwhile, critics of DEI—now backed by the full force of the Trump administration—see these efforts as thinly veiled attempts to keep the woke agenda alive.
As conservative think tanks and legal groups prepare lawsuits against DEI in corporate America, expect the same kind of legal scrutiny to hit these local governments that refuse to comply.
The Bottom Line
Nevada’s local governments are banking on semantics to dodge Trump’s crackdown on DEI. But conservatives aren’t fooled.
A rebrand is not a repeal. The administration and grassroots activists should keep the pressure on until these programs are eliminated, not just renamed.
It’s time for Las Vegas and the rest of Nevada to stop playing word games and start following the law.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
