On one notable Friday, under the administration of President Donald Trump, executive action was taken with the express purpose of curtailing certain programs themed around topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In response, a stream of communiqués altered the regulations for all categories of personnel — from intelligence officers to military service members, to civilians. Notably, certain employee groups and various cultural observances were directly targeted in these changes.
In the light of Trump’s executive orders, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued an order that all activities related to specific ‘special observances’ were to be indefinitely suspended. This lengthy list included Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day amongst others. In addition, all ’employee networking groups’ and affinity groups were put on hold.
This directive became an immediate priority for the Trump administration, primarily aimed at curtailing programs that arguably fostered an excess of focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in government. The intelligence agencies of the U.S., toed the line – eliminating or pausing any activities that even remotely resembled previous DEI initiatives, as per instructions from current officials and ex-officials.
While there was still some ambiguity surrounding which activities would be banned outright under the new edicts, officials chose to err on the side of prudence rather withdrawal from executing the administration’s orders. Consequently, ambiguous activities were temporarily suspended while decisions were pending on their fate.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) — the umbrella entity overseeing all intelligence services — quickly acted to curtail all DEI-related boards and collectives. Furthermore, the ODNI decreed that no official work timelines or locations are to be employed for DEI-themed engagements.
Similarly, officials at the Pentagon received instructions that any postponing of official resources – including man-hours – towards cultural awareness programs was to cease immediately. However, in their off-duty hours, service members and civilians were still allowed to engage in these activities in a personal capacity.
As for the Central Intelligence Agency, it was reported that the organization was dutifully actioning the executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives. Experienced voices from within the intelligence community warned of potential pitfalls with these new policies. Their concern was primarily based on how these decisions might negatively influence new recruits’ perception of the various intelligence agencies.
These espionage departments have consistently stressed the importance of a diverse workforce. This strategy aims to grant the U.S. an upper hand, primarily due to the varied cultural and linguistic aptitudes brought forth by diverse personnel. Such diversity has often been instrumental in improving global intelligence gathering.
Also, on the same Friday, another move was made to dictate language. The Office of Personnel Management decreed that all ‘gender ideology’ references had to be eradicated across the federal government by the day’s end, covering everything from public-facing websites to social media accounts and even e-mail elements like Outlook pronoun prompts.
Previously, the Justice Department under the same administration took the drastic step of shutting down all existing DEI initiatives. Labelled as ‘divisive, wasteful, and discriminatory’, these moves also led to the closing of several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs); most notable of these was ‘DOJ Pride’, an LGBTQ ERG in the Justice Department that had persisted for three decades.
Interestingly, Juneteenth – a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in America – had been recognized as a federal holiday relatively recently, during the Biden administration. Creating a federal holiday had been elusive for several years, with the previous occasion being the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
Former White House official Andrea M. O’Neal, who was instrumental in formulating policies under the Biden administration, had argued that these observances provided an essential platform for acknowledging the varied past of America. Several skeptics, however, argue that such a repeated emphasis might precipitate a more divided future rather than fostering unity.
Troy Blackwell, a former employee at the Department of Commerce in the Biden era, had also argued that underserved communities could be given access to better resources and policies through DEI initiatives. Yet, again, there is wide disapproval for these approaches among many, who see them as mere political pandering rather than substantial changes.
In his final year working for the Department of Commerce, Blackwell and his team managed to establish patent and trademark resource libraries at Hispanic-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities. However, the counter-narrative questions the practical effectiveness of these policies and their tangible benefits to the minorities.
In an unexpected yet symbolic convergence, Trump’s inauguration coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Following the swearing-in ceremony, he made an impassioned appeal to the black and Hispanic voter base, acknowledging their historical and current strife, although interpreted by some as a calculated political move more than a genuine sentiment.