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President Donald Trump<\/strong><\/a> is taking significant steps to eliminate DEI programs at the federal level.<\/p>\n A memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, issued Tuesday evening, instructed that all federal DEI employees be placed on leave by Wednesday night.<\/p>\n Learn more below.<\/p>\n The term \u201cDEI\u201d stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, while \u201cDEIA\u201d adds Accessibility. Under the Joe Biden<\/strong><\/a> administration, executive orders were signed to expand federal workplace protections, covering groups such as pregnant workers, military spouses, caregivers, and others.<\/p>\n Former President Biden made significant efforts to incorporate diversity and inclusion practices within the federal workforce, the nation\u2019s largest at approximately 2.4 million employees. These programs included \u201cenvironmental justice initiatives\u201d and various \u201cequity initiatives.\u201d However, the origins of DEI programs trace back to the Civil Rights Movement.<\/p>\n The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 800,000 federal workers, argued that diversity programs helped reduce gender and racial pay gaps in the federal sector.<\/p>\n The Biden administration also established a Chief Diversity Officers Council to oversee the DEI plan\u2019s implementation. In 2022, the government released its first DEI progress report, revealing that the federal workforce is about 60% white and 55% male overall, with senior executives being more than 75% white and over 60% male.<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s executive order mandates that federal hiring, promotions, and performance reviews focus on \u201cindividual initiative\u201d rather than \u201cDEI-related factors.\u201d Trump and other critics have consistently argued that federal DEI programs discriminate against certain groups, including white Americans.<\/p>\n The executive order, posted by the White House<\/a>, describes DEI programs as \u201cillegal and immoral discrimination,\u201d claiming that these \u201cdiversity, equity, and inclusion\u201d initiatives have been imposed across nearly every aspect of the federal government.<\/p>\n OBTAINED FIRST BY @cbsnews<\/a>\u2019 @kristincbrown<\/a>: All federal employees in DEI roles have to be placed on paid leave by 5pm Wednesday as those offices and programs are being ordered shut down, according to @USOPM<\/a> memo. pic.twitter.com\/PhTn4QrQqB<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) January 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Tuesday\u2019s order also extends beyond federal agencies, instructing the attorney general to submit, within 120 days, \u201crecommendations for enforcing federal civil rights laws\u201d and to take measures to discourage the private sector from engaging in illegal discrimination or DEI practices. Trump is further directing the attorney general to develop a plan to prevent the private sector from adopting or continuing DEI programs.<\/p>\n According to multiple outlets, including BBC<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0it\u2019s unclear how many federal employees<\/a> will be impacted by Trump\u2019s DEI executive order.<\/p>\n Under the new order, federal agencies must compile a list of all DEI offices and their staff by Thursday, January 23. By next Friday, January 31, agencies are required to submit a \u201cwritten plan\u201d to begin layoffs of DEI program employees. According to a sample letter drafted by the OPM, agencies will also include a note to employees that their programs \u201cdivided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. government offers more than 2,000 federal assistance programs to the public, according to\u00a0Government Book Talk<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\nWhat Does DEI Mean?<\/h2>\n
What DEI Programs Exist in the U.S.?<\/h2>\n
What Is Trump\u2019s Executive Order on Federal DEI\u00a0Employees?<\/h2>\n
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How Many DEI Federal Employees Are There?<\/h2>\n