Trump Cracks Down on Radical Leftist Influence in Corporate America
President Donald Trump has launched a powerful offensive against foreign-owned proxy advisory firms that have been hijacking shareholder votes to force far-left agendas like DEI and ESG on American companies, harming investors and everyday workers.
On December 11, Trump issued an executive order directing the SEC to probe these “activist insiders”—primarily Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS, German-owned) and Glass Lewis (Canadian-owned)—which dominate over 90% of the market and routinely push ideological priorities over profits.
The order blasts these firms for using “their substantial power to advance and prioritize radical politically-motivated agendas—like ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ and ‘environmental, social, and governance’—even though investor returns should be the only priority.”
Exposing the Proxy Duopoly’s Grip on Pensions and Savings
These unelected advisers influence votes on trillions in assets, often steering companies toward woke policies that tank stock values—think Disney, Target, Anheuser-Busch, and Netflix, all punished by consumers for going leftist.
Retail investors and pensioners bear the brunt when politicization erodes returns, yet asset managers blindly follow the duopoly’s recommendations.
The order mandates SEC review of voting rules, enforcement against fraud in proxy advice, and scrutiny of antitrust issues, conflicts, and deception—targeting the low $2,000 threshold that lets radicals submit endless proposals under Rule 14a-8.
Conservatives Hail Long-Overdue Pushback Against Woke Capitalism
Business leaders applauded Trump’s move to reclaim corporate focus on profitability.
“This [Executive Order] is an incredible step towards curtailing the runaway power of two foreign owned proxy advisors, ISS and Glass-Lewis, who have been using their outsized influence to push a far-left agenda in corporate America,” said Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research.
Charles Crain, vice president at the National Association of Manufacturers, noted it addresses the “outsized influence of the proxy duopoly and investment advisers’ over-reliance on these under-regulated entities.”
Tim Schwarzenberger, portfolio manager with Inspire Investing, called it “necessary and long overdue.”
Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks added: “Proxy advisers are supposed to provide objective guidance focused on shareholder value, but the proxy system has been increasingly used to advance political goals through shareholder proposals that often have little connection to financial performance,” and the order “reaffirms a basic principle: proxy advice should be grounded in material financial considerations, not social or political agendas.”
ISS weakly defended itself, claiming “we remain committed to engaging constructively with the three federal agencies named in the order” and insisting “our research, voting policies, and vote recommendations are based on apolitical, thorough, independent, and objective analysis.”
This bold action signals the end of leftist capture in boardrooms, protecting American investors from ideological sabotage and restoring common-sense governance.
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