30 June 2025
By Lauren Victoria Burke
Contributing Writer
(BlackPressUSA Newswire) — Target CEO Brian Cornell was on Capitol Hill on June 26 and met with members of Congress.
The meeting included a small group of Congressional Black Caucus members that make up their diversity task force. The members included Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette (D-N.Y.), Rep. Steve Horsford (D-Nev.), and Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.).
Companies have been conflicted about diversity policy because the Trump administration has pushed hard against diversity and inclusion policy. The Trump administration has targeted corporations and law firms and pressured them to retreat from DEI.
CBC chairwoman Yvette Clarke, front, and La. Congressman Troy Carter, were among the members of the Congressional Black Caucus Diversity Task Force who meet with Target CEO Brian Cornell (center) and his entourage on Thursday, June 26.
Photo by Lauren Victoria Burke
Target caved in to the pressure and pulled back on its DEI initiatives
However Target’s DEI retreat has provoked backlashes from civil rights groups, Democratic leaders, and even the heirs of one of Target’s founders, who argue that diversity is good business and should not be abandoned under political pressure.
In Minneapolis – Target’s headquarters and the city where George Floyd’s murder sparked national protests – civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong called on consumers to boycott saying, “We thought Target would stand firm in its values.”
On February 1st of this year, to coincide with Black History Month, a coalition of organizations from the Twin Cities of Minnesota that included the Racial Justice Network, CAIR – Minnesota and Black Lives Matter Minnesota begin a boycott of Target.
In lockstep, the Rev. Jamal Bryant launched what he termed a National Target Fast, while
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, and civil rights organizations like the NAACP have launched campaigns to inform Black consumers about corporate retreats from diversity initiatives.
Reportedly since these actions have been taken, Target has seen drastic declines in foot traffic and it’s operating income, a company’s profit after expenses, has declines nearly 21 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of this year.
When Cornell departed the meeting with a small staff of four, he told Black Press USA, “It’s always helpful to have meetings like this and get some candid feedback and continue to evolve our thinking.”
When asked if the issue of the ongoing boycott was discussed, Cornell’s stated, “That was not a big area of focus – we’re focused on running a great business each and every day. Take care of our teams. Take care of the guests who shop with us and do the right things in our communities.”
When this ask Rep. Carter for his response to Cornell’s answer to the focus of the meeting on Thursday, he said, “Our conversation with Target’s leadership wasn’t about politics – it was about principles.
“The urgent need for Target to reaffirm its commitment to Diversity, equity and Inclusion was front and center. We made it clear: retreating on DEI is not an option – not for Target, not for any company that claims to value all of its customers.”
Additional reporting by The Louisiana Weekly staff.
This article originally published in the June 30, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.