Trump Places All Federal DEI Workers On Pause Ahead Of Layoffs

Trump is wasting no time reversing much of the DEI-related progress made in recent years.

President Donald Trump is making good on his promise to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with his latest initiative to eliminate federal DEI positions.

On Jan. 21, the second Trump administration took steps to eliminate affirmative action in federal contracting and ordered all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion staff to be placed on paid leave, with plans for eventual layoffs, the Associated Press reports.

The Office of Personnel Management issued a memo instructing agencies to put DEI office staff on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and to take down all public websites and pages dedicated to DEI initiatives.

The action comes after Trump’s signed numerous executive orders that rolled back diversity initiatives established during the Biden administration. This included the elimination of federal programs that significantly supported diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, such as anti-bias training and funding for minority farmers and homeowners.

The Biden administration utilized the affirmative action executive order put into place by President Lyndon B. Johnson to promote DEI programs across the private sector. Now under Trump, the efforts to support federal contractors and grant recipients have been eradicated.

Agencies are now mandated to terminate all DEI-related training and conclude any associated contracts. Additionally, they must report any DEI programs they suspect have been renamed to circumvent the policy within 10 days, or they will face “adverse consequences.”

The next steps include federal agencies compiling a list of DEI offices and personnel as of Election Day by Thursday. By January 31, they must create a plan to carry out a “reduction-in-force action” targeting those federal employees.

Trump’s sweep of anti-DEI executive orders followed him accusing Biden of forcing “discrimination” programs into “virtually all aspects of the federal government” through DEI.

Trump also plans to use the Justice Department and other federal agencies to investigate private companies that engage in training and hiring practices that conservative critics argue discriminate against non-minority groups, such as white men.