Key Takeaways:
– President Trump initiated activities to remove Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from the federal government shortly after his 2025 inauguration.
– Trump aims to terminate all DEI-related offices, positions, and online presence as part of a ‘colorblind and merit-based’ approach.
– The number of federal employees affected by this move is currently unclear as agencies are ordered to compile lists of DEI offices and workers.
– Trump criticizes the former Biden FAA administration for prioritizing DEI initiatives over safety and efficiency.
Trump Implements New Approach to DEI in Government
Shortly after President Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025, a flurry of activity targeted federal employees related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Trump has issued an executive order that signals his intent to eliminate all DEI programs within the government. This move extends to online presence, with plans to remove all websites, social media accounts, and all other forms of connection with these DEI offices. The question that looms is, how many federal employees will these actions affect?
Understanding DEI in the Federal Government
The acronym DEI refers to diversity, equity, and inclusion. During his term, former President Biden expanded workplace protections for federal employees through several executive orders. These protections enveloped individuals like pregnant women, military spouses, and caregivers among other groups of people. Critics, including Trump, argued these DEI programs discriminated against certain American groups, including white individuals.
Examining Trump’s DEI Executive Order
President Trump promotes a ‘colorblind and merit-based’ approach to federal hiring policies as per his public address at the inauguration. This principle drove him to issue an executive order that veers away from DEI practices and focuses instead on non-discriminatory, merit-based hiring, especially within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Trump slammed the former FAA administration under Biden, stating it prioritized DEI above key parameters like safety and efficiency. The president further alleged that the FAA adopted an almost anomalous approach of prioritizing hiring individuals with severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric issues, and complete paralysis in the name of DEI.
Trump’s executive order labeled DEI programs as “illegal and dangerous” as he pledged to put an end to this kind of discrimination and restore common sense. He urged a commitment from the government to treat all Americans with equal dignity and respect while optimizing taxpayer resources for the betterment of the country.
Uncertain Future for Federal DEI Employees
Based on reports from multiple outlets, we remain uncertain about the volume of federal employees likely to be affected by Trump’s executive order. According to the order’s mandate, all federal agencies must compile a list of DEI offices and their workers. Furthermore, these agencies must submit a ‘written plan,’ detailing their strategy starting with the layoffs of DEI program workers.
What we do know from the executive order is Trump’s plan to “terminate, to the greatest extent allowed by law, all DEI and DEIA offices and ‘environmental justice’ positions”. This means that any federal employee attached to these labels will be on the line for layoffs.
Currently, the U.S. government provides more than 2,000 federal assistance programs to the public as part of its ongoing service to the American people. It remains to be seen how Trump’s aim for a ‘colorblind and merit-based’ approach to federal hiring will impact these programs, and by extension, those that they serve. The president’s new executive order undoubtedly heralds a new era for DEI in the federal government—a chapter that will be closely watched in the coming months.