President Donald Trump has mandated the termination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs throughout the federal government, instructing that officials involved with these programs be placed on leave by the end of their workday on Wednesday.
A communication issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday evening directed leaders of federal agencies and departments to eliminate DEI personnel, placing them on paid administrative leave by 5 p.m. EST Wednesday and formulating a strategy for their removal before the month concludes.
This directive is part of a swift initiative to implement aspects of an executive order Trump signed on his inaugural day, which sought to eliminate diversity programs deemed “unlawful and unethical.”
Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed the validity of the memo with enthusiasm in a post on X.
The OPM communication also mandated that agencies retract any internal documents related to DEI, cancel any ongoing DEI training sessions, terminate any contracts tied to DEI efforts, and dismantle any DEI-associated websites or social media profiles.
Leaders within departments and agencies are required to inform DEI staff that their offices are closing down and to investigate whether any DEI activities persist in a “disguised” manner within their jurisdictions.
In this context, the Trump administration is effectively establishing a whistleblower hotline to incentivize governmental entities to expose any leftover diversity programs or face potential “negative repercussions.”
“We recognize that some individuals in government might attempt to mask these programs with vague or cryptic terminology. If you notice any alteration in a contract description or personnel role description since November 5, 2024, that obscures the link to DEIA or related ideologies, please report all details… within 10 days,” states the memo.
The memo indicates that prompt reporting of these allegedly hidden diversity programs will not result in retaliation; however, departments that neglect to report within the specified 10-day window may encounter fallout.
Trump’s robust actions to dismantle diversity programs also affect the private sector.
In a distinct executive order signed on Tuesday, the president called on businesses to “eliminate unlawful DEI discrimination and preferences” and tasked the attorney general with formulating a plan to hinder their implementation.
The Tuesday order instructs agencies to devise a plan that may target up to nine types of organizations—publicly traded companies, state bar associations, non-profits, universities—with “civil compliance investigations” concerning their DEI policies.
Numerous prominent U.S. companies—including Walmart, McDonald’s, Meta, and Ford—have scaled back their DEI programs in recent months in response to increasing pressure from conservative organizations. They often refer to a 2023 Supreme Court decision that invalidated affirmative action in colleges and universities as providing a solid legal justification.
This directive also includes a review of places that have undergone name changes as a result of DEI initiatives. It remains uncertain how this will impact the private sector. A Trump administration representative advised businesses on Monday to “observe and wait” for how further guidance might relate to them.
