Trump administration directs all federal DEI staff be put on leave

 On January 21, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. This order mandates that all federal DEI staff be placed on paid administrative leave, with plans for their eventual dismissal. 

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agencies to:

Place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Remove all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline.

Cancel any DEI-related training and terminate related contracts.

Compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day by Thursday.

Develop a plan to execute a "reduction-in-force action" against DEI staff by next Friday.

This executive order also revokes affirmative action mandates issued by President Lyndon Johnson, aiming to end DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. The administration's broader strategy includes leveraging the Justice Department to investigate private companies' DEI practices and revising federal grant and contract criteria to eliminate DEI considerations. 

Implementation challenges are anticipated due to the entrenched nature of some DEI programs and bipartisan support for certain DEI initiatives.