A top American banker has claimed that Trump’s return to power has ‘liberated’ him to use slurs without fear of getting cancelled. In a comment to the Financial Times that has provoked derision and criticism online, the unnamed banker claimed that Donald Trump’s election as the US president had opened the door for him to use slurs without fear of repercussions.
“I feel liberated,” the banker told the paper. “We can say ‘retard’ and ‘p—y’ without the fear of getting cancelled… it’s a new dawn.”
His comments reflect a larger shift in the American corporate landscape in the wake of Trump’s election victory and the Republican sweep of the Congress.
Trump – whose famous “Grab them by the p—y’ remark has been slammed left, right and centre – is known for attacking companies and business leaders he dislikes. The shift in the tone of corporate America is therefore being seen as an attempt to cozy up to the incoming US president.
The banker’s comments also reflect how in this new Trump era, conservatives are less worried about offending women, minorities and disabled people.
In the last few weeks alone, several large corporations have cut their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments, withdrawn from climate change groups, and removed “woke” language from corporate materials and advertisements.
“There are conservative pressures in this political climate, and folks are just anticipating a change in the administration and … aligning their strategies with these expected policy shifts,” said Trier Bryant, a former DEI executive at Goldman Sachs, told the Financial Times.
Banker’s comments face backlash
Even as corporate America is emboldened by Trump’s return to power, with top business leaders echoing Elon Musk’s sentiments on destroying the ‘woke mind virus,’ there is still space for dissent on Musk-owned social media platform X.
A post on the top banker’s comments on being free to use slurs prompted ridicule, anger, amusement, support and backlash.
“People like this is why the Me Too movement exists in the first place,” wrote one person. Another simply commented “Respect.”
“Wall Street bros are so happy right now,” an X user wrote.