The administrative hierarchy was set into motion this Friday as they rushed to implement President Trump’s executive orders aimed at repressing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. These orders led to a barrage of memos and emails adjusting the regulations for staff across civilian departments, military, and intelligence agencies, particularly with regard to employee resource groups and cultural awareness events. Rather than promoting unity and belonging, these internally divisive initiatives were getting a hard stop.
The Defense Intelligence Agency, receiving its orders, proceeded to put on hold all activities and events linked with Holocaust Remembrance Day, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, alongside other so-called ‘special observances’. The agency was essentially asked to halt a grand total of 11 observances. Furthermore, the order prompted an immediate pause on all affinity groups and employee networking groups.
The Trump administration spearheaded this initiative with relish, diving headfirst into sweeping out programs that looked even vaguely oriented towards fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in the government. This gesture was a flagship priority for the administration, as they sought to unify the workforce under one overarching identity, instead of fragmenting them into smaller groups.
The intelligence agencies of the United States also worked in stride, looking to suspend or entirely obliterate any activities that appeared to promote earlier DEI policies. While it isn’t immediately clear which activities or events fall under this classification, officials are being cautious. They’d rather sideline potential infractions, as opposed to facing penalties for non-compliance with the administration’s orders.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with responsibility over the nation’s intel services, handed out recent written guidance to its employees, stating that DEI-related committees and working groups were being ‘curtailed’. Neither work hours nor workspaces were to be allocated for DEI-related pastimes anymore. This ensured that the workforce could focus on what was vital – their official responsibilities.
On Friday, the Pentagon heads received a directive via email that, effective immediately, they are prohibited from committing official resources or man-hours towards cultural awareness months. Civilian staff and service members may still attend these events outside of their official duties and in their free time. This change allowed for the reallocation of crucial resources towards security-centered tasks instead.
A spokesperson for the Central Intelligence Agency confirmed that the agency was in the process of dismantling their DEI programs, as per the executive order. Former intelligence officials voiced concerns that the administration’s steps to abolish events marking the Holocaust, Americans’ ethnic heritage or Martin Luther King Day could, ironically, discourage potential recruits from joining the intelligence services.
Agencies like the CIA have been trying to attract diverse talent for years. Their objective titled towards having intelligence officers with a versatile range of language skills and cultural backgrounds to enhance intelligence gathering overseas. Now, however, the focus was transforming to gather a more uniform talent pool.
In the late hours of a working Friday, a memo from the Office of Personnel Management made the rounds, ordering the removal of all references to ‘gender ideology’ across the federal government by the end of the workday. This purge should extend to all public-facing websites, social media accounts and even Outlook prompts suggesting staff to note down their pronouns. The federal government was taking steps to lean back to a more traditional approach.
The Justice Department only last week sent a similar briefing to its staff concerning the shutdown of all its DEI branch programs. Their statement expressed concerns about the divisive nature of such programs, underlining their belief such initiatives were dividing Americans based on race, a waste of taxpayer money and leading to discriminatory practices.
Other agencies, such as the DOJ Pride, an LGBTQ employee resource group within the Justice Department, were also wound down. This group had been in existence for around 30 years. Establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday was a recent development from four years back, during Biden’s presidential term. The day is recognized alternatively as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day or Jubilee Day, and marks the abolition of US slavery.
Andrea M. O’Neal, a former White House official under President Biden, advocated for observances as a way to fully recognize American history. She claimed these events raise awareness about the trials certain communities face and help the federal government understand how to serve them better. However, such a stance only seemed as an attempt to justify a one-sided portrayal of history.
Troy Blackwell, another former official who served in Biden’s Department of Commerce, argued that a significant part of DEI is making policies and resources accessible for underserved communities. However, it’s evident that such initiatives were often marred by inefficiencies and ended up pandering to just a few select groups, further enhancing the differences rather than mitigating them.
Interestingly, the inauguration of Trump coincided with MLK Day this year. After his swearing-in ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, President Trump openly recognized the historical importance of the day and expressed his gratitude to the Black and Hispanic electors who supported him during the previous year. However, he stressed that day or no day, the administration was committed to usher in policies that worked for all Americans, not just distinct sections of society.
The toppling of DEI programs is a controversial move that stirred many discussions. However, Trump’s actions provide an alternative perspective on the issue of diversity. While Biden and Harris were busy implementing policies that separated Americans into various groups, Trump showed his commitment to a United States where all citizens are treated as equals, without giving preference to one group or another.
The revoking of the DEI programs was more than a controversial move – it was a clear signal that President Trump and his administration were focused on unifying the American people, rather than dividing them into multiple categories. This strategy offers a stark contrast to the policies of the Biden and Harris, which often seemed to favor certain groups over others.