Apple shareholders voted down a proposal challenging the company's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, joining Costco as one of a handful of companies that have pushed back against the Trump administration's attempts to end the programs nationwide. 

The proposal was originally put forth by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank that has made identical overtures to shareholders at 61 other companies across the U.S. The think tank asserts that DEI policies pose a financial and reputational risk to businesses, and that the programs conflict with recent court rulings, and could expose companies to discrimination lawsuits.

The Associated Press reports that Apple shareholders rejected the proposal after watching a brief presentation, but the company did not disclose the exact vote tally. Apple has argued that its DEI initiatives are "critical" to its success, and that it seeks to "conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations." 

More than 98% of Costco shareholders voted down the same proposal in January, a day after its board of directors threw its support behind the retailer's DEI program. That was despite pressure from President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order at the start of his term directing federal agencies to investigate DEI initiatives at publicly-traded companies. Several U.S. corporations also ended or scaled back their DEI programs in anticipation of Trump taking office, including Amazon, Walmart, Boeing, Meta, McDonald's and Ford.