The White House has confirmed that employees in federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility offices will be placed on administrative leave.
On January 21, the Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, verified news of the massive directive.
“To every reporter asking about this: I can gladly confirm!” read the post from Leavitt in response to another about the rumored slashing of all federal DEI roles.
That same day, the United States Office of Personnel Management released a memo detailing the action agency heads should take. In the memo from the Acting Director, Charles Ezell, agency heads were directed to inform employees of the closure “No later than 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.”
More than just eliminating explicit DEI roles, the Trump administration intends to “dismantle the DEI bureaucracy,” said one official on a briefing call with reporters on Monday, per CNN.
According to a senior Department of Homeland Security official who spoke with Fox News, U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan was recently removed from her role for, at least in part, excessively focusing on DEI initiatives.
Along with plans to eliminate DEI in the federal government, the new administration is also making moves to radically cut costs. President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is expected to dramatically reduce federal government headcounts and other expenses.