Micah Jonah
February 5, 2026
Nike is facing an investigation by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over allegations that its diversity policies discriminate against white employees and job applicants.
The federal agency disclosed in a court filing on Wednesday that it is probing whether the global sportswear company intentionally targeted white workers for layoffs and exclusion through its diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.
According to the filing, the commission accused Nike of refusing to fully comply with a subpoena seeking information on the racial and ethnic composition of its workforce, as well as records of employees selected for mentoring and development programmes.
The agency said the information is necessary to determine whether Nike violated US laws that prohibit workplace discrimination based on race and other protected characteristics.
A spokesperson for Nike described the court filing as a surprising, unusual escalation, insisting that the company is cooperating with the investigation.
The spokesperson said Nike has provided thousands of pages of documents to the agency and remains committed to fair and lawful employment practices in line with applicable laws.
The probe is part of a broader push by the administration of President Donald Trump to challenge and dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies across government, private businesses and educational institutions.
Critics of such programmes argue that they undermine merit based decision making and amount to reverse discrimination, particularly against white people and men.
EEOC Chair, Andrea Lucas has repeatedly warned that several workplace diversity initiatives may be unlawful, said the agency would not hesitate to investigate or sue companies found to be in violation of anti discrimination laws.
Lucas said in a statement that where there are compelling indications that an employer’s diversity policies are unlawful, the commission will take all necessary steps, including enforcing subpoenas, to conduct a full investigation.
The Nike investigation stems from a commissioner’s charge initiated by Lucas in May 2024, a relatively rare process that does not rely on a complaint filed by an employee.
The agency recently accused Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance of failing to comply with a similar subpoena over alleged discrimination against white men, an allegation the company has denied.
Nike’s case is being handled at a federal court in St Louis, Missouri, as the commission seeks to compel the company to release the requested information.
