Conservatives have wielded boycotts to notch major victories against woke corporations, but now the left is striking back.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota Democrat, has joined a coalition of left-wing groups calling for a Black Friday boycott of a half-dozen companies, citing issues including their links to the Trump administration and backtracking on DEI policies.
“We need to make sure that those who are collaborating with the authoritarian regime pay a costly price because we know all of these corporations don’t care about us,” said Ms. Omar on a mass call organized by May Day Strong. “They only care about their bottom line.”
The We Ain’t Buying It campaign urges consumers to avoid holiday shopping at Airbnb, Amazon, AT&T, Home Depot, Starbucks and Target from Thanksgiving Day through Dec. 1, known as Cyber Monday.
“If you want our business, if you want our money, then you have to cancel your contracts with ICE,” said Ms. Omar. “If you want our money and you want our business, you have to cancel your contracts with Trump’s authoritarian forces. You have to stop union busting. We have to make it loud and clear that if you do not support the American people, the American people are not going to support you.”
On the other side is Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, who urged shoppers to ignore the boycott cries and to reward businesses that “reject woke policies and put consumers first.”
“Consumers should see through this transparent attempt to weaponize the holiday season for ideological purposes,” Mr. Hild told The Washington Times. “Rather than punish businesses for stepping away from political agendas and discriminatory policies, Americans should support companies that prioritize quality goods and services at affordable prices.”
This holiday season, we’re standing with partners across the country to remind corporate America that our values are not for sale. Nov. 27 – Dec. 1, we’re joining #WeAintBuyingIt to use our collective power for our communities. We encourage you to join us. ✊🏾#BlackWomenLead pic.twitter.com/boDnZyLXFI
— HigherHeights (@HigherHeights) November 25, 2025
For most of the six companies targeted, the rationale centers on their connections to the Trump administration, however remote.
In September, AT&T extended its contract with the Department of Homeland Security to provide telecommunications services, although the initial agreement was struck in March 2024, during the Biden administration.
Home Depot has been targeted for allegedly coordinating with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, which the company denies.
“We aren’t notified that immigration enforcement activities are going to happen, and we aren’t involved in the operations,” said Home Depot in a statement. “We aren’t coordinating with ICE or Border Patrol. We’re required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate.”
Airbnb landed on the left’s naughty list after co-founder Joe Gebbia was tapped in August to become the nation’s first chief design officer, leading the newly unveiled Chief Design Office at the White House.
Amazon’s links to the Trump administration include donating $1 million to the Trump inaugural fund and contributing to the White House Ballroom project, while Starbucks ran afoul of the left years ago by resisting efforts to unionize its workforce.
As for Target, the Minneapolis-based retailer appears to be caught in an ideological death spiral between the left and the right.
Target rolled back some of its DEI policies in January after being hit with a consumer backlash over its 2023 Pride Month collection, which included the “tuck-friendly” women’s swimsuit for the male anatomy, prompting blowback from progressives.
Saqib Bhatti, executive director of the Action Center on Race and the Economy, said the “economic noncooperation” strategy includes consumer boycotts as well as divestment pressure and strikes.
“The business community is lining up behind Trump both because they don’t want to get sideways with him and because they think Trump’s policy is good for business,” he said on last week’s call. “So let’s disabuse them of that notion. We need to show them that there’s a steep economic cost for enabling fascism.”
Other groups involved in the Choose Workers Over Billionaires coalition include the SEIU, Black Voters Matter, Center for Popular Democracy, People’s Action, and Bargaining for the Common Good.
Certainly the boycott strategy has proven effective on the right. Bud Light saw its stock price plummet in 2023 after beer drinkers stopped buying the brand in reaction to its partnership with transgender TikTok personality Dylan Mulvaney.
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck has convinced a host of companies, including Tractor Supply, John Deere and Harley-Davidson, to reverse their DEI policies by either organizing or threatening online boycotts.
Mr. Hild said the difference is that left-wing boycotts push corporations to pursue an ideological agenda, while right-wing boycotters want companies to focus on their core mission, not politics.
“Once again, radical, left-wing organizations are attempting to leverage coordinated boycotts and smear campaigns to force corporations into adopting subversive political agendas that serve activists rather than American consumers,” said Mr. Hild. “These groups are demanding that companies focus less on delivering quality products and services and more on the advancement of woke political causes.”
