Three weeks of tweets from conservative activist Robby Starbuck were all it took for Tractor Supply to abandon its diversity and inclusion program. Deere, the well-known tractor manufacturer, folded even faster under similar pressure. “Our next company will take even less time,” Starbuck said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
From his home office in Nashville, Tennessee, adorned with a massive American flag, Starbuck, renowned for producing music videos and pre-show cinema reminders to silence cellphones, has pivoted to building a social media operation to voice his objections to corporate diversity initiatives.
At 35, Starbuck has launched campaigns that stoke outrage over what he terms “woke” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His 500,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), including influential figures like Elon Musk, amplify his criticisms. This collective backlash contributed to Tractor Supply and Deere retracting some efforts to support workers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Tractor Supply, a retailer specializing in rural products like animal feed and workwear, posted on X after weeks of pressure: “We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them. We have taken this feedback to heart.” Deere announced last month that it has never imposed diversity quotas and promised to eliminate any “socially motivated messages” in its training materials unless required. The company also pledged to cease participation in or support for “social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events.”
Starbuck’s efforts are far from over. He intends to target at least four more companies, though he declined to name them. His latest target is motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson. “Everyone should just go to work, do their job, and go home,” he said. “If you want to be an activist in your personal time, that’s your business.”
Starbuck, a Cuban-American, claims his motivation stems from being a father who doesn’t want his three young children, with a fourth on the way, to think they secured jobs because they are Latino. Growing up in Temecula, California, with his immigrant mother and three siblings, Starbuck began his career by recording live performances for musicians. This led to the establishment of a production company in Hollywood. Though he has always voted Republican, his views shifted significantly about seven years ago when he felt a renewed desire for faith in his life.
He became uncomfortable with the sexual innuendo and jokes in TV shows, movies, and commercials that his children watched. Six years ago, Starbuck, his wife Landon, and their children moved from Calabasas, California, to a farm outside Nashville. Their new home includes a giant black-and-white photo of a lion’s face, a gift symbolizing Starbuck’s spirit. “We realized we didn’t fit in that world,” Starbuck said of California and Hollywood. “Our values and ideology were so far apart from that industry that we had to trust God and start over.”
In Tennessee, Starbuck has advocated for upholding a state ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children and supported a law allowing the death penalty for people convicted of child rape. Elon Musk, who has more than 190 million followers on X, has interacted with Starbuck’s posts over 45 times this year. “Doesn’t sound super compatible with their customers,” Musk responded to a Starbuck tweet about Harley-Davidson’s DEI policy. “He’s just my friend on X,” Starbuck said of Musk. “I’m grateful he reads the stuff that I’m putting out there.”
In 2022, Starbuck unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Tennessee and has no plans to run again soon. “I’m accomplishing so much outside,” he said, “why would I tie myself up?” In February, Starbuck released a documentary, “The War On Children,” which he sells on his site for up to $15. He plans to produce more documentaries addressing the same topics he regularly critiques online. Musk endorsed the documentary on X, stating it is worth watching.
“Why is it that our kids today are faced with Pride flags everywhere they go, no matter what, at every company?” Starbuck asks in one segment of the film. In another part, Starbuck cites boycotts against Bud Light and Target as models for consumer activism. His wife, Landon, urges viewers to “use your money as a weapon.”
The Bud Light boycott, triggered by the brand sending a personalized can to a transgender influencer, led to a significant sales decline. Similarly, Target faced a backlash over its handling of Gay Pride month displays, affecting its sales. Starbuck employs two full-time staff members who edit videos and research the companies he targets. He funds these efforts through $5 monthly subscriptions on X, along with revenue from his documentary.
Veteran corporate executives emphasize the need for companies to be prepared for such scrutiny, recognizing that pleasing everyone may not be feasible. Kelley Johnson, a former chief diversity officer at JCPenney, advises companies to proactively incorporate DEI components and consider the risks of cutting such programs. “Ultimately, the question is this: Who do we lose in the process if we decide to end our DEI efforts? What market segment, what employees might we lose?” said Johnson, now leading Keirus, a consulting firm focused on cultural transformation.
Starbuck’s current campaign against Harley-Davidson, launched on July 23, criticizes the company for supporting LGBTQ+ causes and DEI policies. Harley-Davidson declined to comment. Starbuck insists he has many more companies to target. “I really hope I run out of companies because that means we’ve restored sanity in the workplace.”
However, some remain skeptical of his long-term influence, noting the demographic shifts in the U.S. and the need for companies to appeal to a diverse consumer base. “He’s got a megaphone right now, and a platform, and he’s had some wins, so he’s a necessary annoyance that we have to deal with,” said Jim Fielding, a former CEO of retailer Claire’s Stores and a former president of Disney Stores, who wrote a book on his life as a queer executive. “But I hope people running these companies have courage in their convictions.”
