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Trump Orders Closure of Federal DEI Programs by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Places Staff on Leave, Rescinds 1965 Affirmative Action Order

Jan 22, 2025, 08:02 PM

President Donald Trump has intensified his efforts to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government, issuing multiple executive orders—including at least three orders ending 'radical' and 'wasteful' DEI programs—that mandate the closure of DEI offices within federal agencies and the placement of DEI staff on paid leave, effective by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agencies to place DEI employees on leave and instructed them to remove all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Federal employees received warnings through OPM memos to report any colleagues or departments attempting to maintain DEI initiatives, with the potential for repercussions if they do not comply. Trump has rescinded Executive Order 11246, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, which banned discrimination in hiring practices and required affirmative action programs for federal contractors. The administration has moved to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal DEI staff be eventually laid off. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been ordered to prioritize safety with merit-based hiring, ending DEI practices within the agency. FCC Chair Brendan Carr remarked that federal agencies were spending millions on DEI initiatives, which are now ending under Trump's leadership. Civil rights groups have criticized the move, with the NAACP stating that the executive order will worsen America's racial hierarchy and benefit the oligarch class. The administration asserts that the elimination of DEI programs will restore merit-based hiring and practices, asserting that these initiatives were divisive and wasteful. Federal employees have been instructed to report any hidden DEI activities, and agencies have warned of repercussions for those who do not comply.