Blavity reported that Target was among the first retailers to dismantle programs supporting Black, LGBTQ+ and other DEI initiatives in late January after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to eliminate these policies.

Target initially announced that it would increase Black employee representation by 20% in 2020. The move came not long after George Floyd’s death, and the retail giant and other companies spearheaded efforts to increase equality. In subsequent years, it ramped up its DEI efforts.

But not long after Trump’s inauguration, Target said it realigned its strategy to focus on “staying in step with the evolving external landscape,” per CNN. However, social justice advocates initiated a powerful movement in response to the recent changes from the retailer.

Was the 40-day boycott effective?

In March, the group led a 40-day boycott against Target and other popular retailers over ending DEI policies. Rev. Jamal Bryant, the leader of the protest, shared his disappointment with the retail giant after stating that Black people have spent large sums of money at Target stores for years.

The boycott remained effective for the week of March 17 as foot traffic declined 5.7% YoY for Target, according to Retail Brew, which obtained data from Placer.ai. That’s compared to a 7.1% drop the previous week and an average weekly decline of 6.2% over the past eight weeks.

During a March 4 earnings call, Target reported a 3.1% Q4 loss and non-specified February sales declines, but company executives remained optimistic that Easter sales would lift business. However, foot traffic data hasn’t shown improvement, per Retail Brew.

‘My policies will never change,’ Trump said

This aligns with Bryant’s 40-day boycott during Lent (March 5–April 20, Easter Sunday), which drew over 150,000 participants who pledged not to spend money at the retailer. According to Forbes, he also advised everyone who may have invested with Target to sell their stock.

While it is not possible to prove causation, “Target’s stock price (NYSE: TGT) is down 24% — from 137.40 on January 24, the day Target cut its programs — to 104.70 on March 15,” per the outlet. The stock is also down 10% since the boycott started.

Another issue Target may face is the effect of tariffs. ABC News reported that the Trump administration outlined the tariff plan on Wednesday, which consists of a 10% baseline tariff against all U.S. trade partners and stricter, more targeted levies against foreign nations that place duties on U.S. imports.

On Friday, China responded to Trump’s tariff plan with a retaliatory 34% levy on all U.S. goods. Trump then doubled down on his strategy on his Truth Social site. “MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE,” he wrote.