Aug 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. agency that enforces laws

banning workplace discrimination has dropped a lawsuit seeking

to enforce a subpoena in an investigation of Nike's ( NKE )

treatment of white employees, saying the company has handed over

a trove of information.

U.S. District Judge Cristian Stevens in St. Louis, Missouri,

granted the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's

motion on Thursday to dismiss the lawsuit it filed in February,

after the agency in a filing late Wednesday said Nike ( NKE ) had

complied with its subpoena.

The commission had claimed the footwear and apparel company

refused to comply with demands for information such as data on

the racial and ethnic makeup of the company's workforce and a

roster of employees chosen for mentoring and development

programs.

The EEOC said it was investigating whether Nike ( NKE )

intentionally discriminated against white employees and job

applicants, including by disproportionately targeting them for

layoffs, and that it needed the information to determine whether

Nike ( NKE ) violated the law.

Dropping the subpoena action does not mean the agency has

concluded its investigation.

Nike ( NKE ) and the EEOC did not immediately respond to requests

for comment. When the case was filed, the company called it "a

surprising and unusual escalation" of the investigation and said

it was cooperating with the commission while denying any

discrimination.

The probe is part of broader efforts by President Donald Trump,

a Republican, and his appointees to eradicate diversity, equity

and inclusion policies from the government, private sector and

higher education. Critics of DEI say such programs undermine

merit-based decision-making and can amount to reverse

discrimination against white people and men specifically.

Supporters of the policies say they expand opportunities for

historically disadvantaged groups and improve corporate

governance.

EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas has said many common workplace diversity

programs may be unlawful and that her agency would investigate

and potentially sue companies for violating laws banning

discrimination based on race, sex, religion and other protected

traits. Trump appointed Lucas to the commission in 2020 and

named her chair last year.

Commission investigations are typically prompted by

complaints filed by workers, but the Nike ( NKE ) probe stems from a

relatively rare "commissioner's charge" initiated by Lucas in

May 2024, according to court filings.