Trump Administration Dismantles Federal DEI Programs in Swift Executive Action
In a move to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government, President Donald Trump has ordered the immediate shutdown of all DEI-focused offices, placing affected federal employees on paid leave effective Wednesday, Bloomberg reports.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the action via a post on X.
The directives, issued through an Office of Personnel Management memorandum, mandate that all federal agencies cancel DEI training programs, terminate related contracts, and remove websites and social media accounts associated with DEI offices. Agencies have been given one week to submit plans for removing these employees from the federal workforce.
The Trump administration also moved to curb diversity preferences in federal contracting, revoking a civil rights era order aimed at reducing racial and gender disparities among government contractors. This action compels major US contractors, such as Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., General Dynamics Corp., and Leidos Holdings Inc., to certify that any DEI initiatives they have in place do not violate federal law.
In a further expansion of his administration’s stance on DEI, President Trump has instructed agency heads to develop strategies to “deter DEI programs or principles… that constitute illegal discrimination or preferences.” These mandates extend beyond the government and reach into the private sector, including publicly-traded companies, large non-profits, foundations, and universities with endowments exceeding $1 billion.
These executive orders mark a rapid shift in federal policy on DEI, coming in the first hours of President Trump’s new term. The president also rescinded over a dozen previous executive orders from the Biden administration related to DEI, including one that had sought to overturn a prior Trump-era ban on racial bias training for federal employees and contractors.
