The administration of President Donald Trump has issued a directive to place all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) staff on paid leave, with plans for their eventual layoff, according to a memorandum from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released Tuesday.
This action follows an executive order signed by Trump on his first day in office, which mandates the dismantling of federal DEI programs. These measures could affect a range of initiatives, from anti-bias training to funding programs for minority farmers and homeowners.
The OPM memo specifies several immediate steps:
- By 5 p.m. Wednesday, all DEI office staff must be placed on paid administrative leave.
- Federal agencies must also take down all public-facing DEI-related webpages by the same deadline. Reports indicate that some departments had already begun removing such pages prior to the memo’s release.
Agencies have been instructed to:
- By Thursday, compile a complete list of federal DEI offices and employees as they existed on Election Day.
- By next Friday, develop and submit a plan for implementing a “reduction-in-force action” targeting these DEI staff positions.
This directive underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to reshaping federal priorities, as outlined in the president’s broader executive order targeting diversity and inclusion programs. Critics argue the move could have significant implications for equity-focused initiatives, while supporters claim it reflects a shift toward what they see as a more streamlined and neutral federal workforce.
While the full scope of these changes remains to be seen, the administration’s actions have already sparked debate about the future of federal DEI efforts and their role in public policy.
