Trump Axes Federal Diversity Programs

Jan 21 2025 Staff Writer

The Trump administration has ordered federal agencies to put diversity, equity and inclusion staff on paid leave and develop plans for layoffs.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES 12.21.2019 Photo by Airman 1st Class Spencer Slocum 316th Wing

The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to place all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff on paid leave and develop plans to lay them off, according to a memo from the Office of Personnel Management. This move follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, which aims to dismantle the federal government's DEI programs.

The memo instructs agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Additionally, agencies must cancel any DEI-related trainings and end any related contracts. Federal workers are also being asked to report any DEI-related programs that have been renamed to obscure their purpose within 10 days, or face “adverse consequences.”

By Thursday, federal agencies are expected to compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day. By next Friday, they must develop a list to execute a "reduction-in-force action" against those federal workers.

This move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to upend DEI efforts nationwide. The executive order accuses former President Joe Biden of forcing "discrimination" programs into "virtually all aspects of the federal government" through DEI programs.

Trump's order will immediately gut Biden's efforts to embed diversity and inclusion practices in the federal workforce. The order will also terminate any roles or offices dedicated to promoting diversity and eliminate initiatives such as DEI-related training or diversity goals in performance reviews.

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The move has been met with criticism from civil rights activists, who argue that DEI programs are essential for promoting equality and inclusion in the federal government.