On Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s administration initiated a significant policy shift aimed at dismantling affirmative action in federal contracting, instructing all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) personnel to be placed on paid leave with the eventual goal of layoffs.
This action follows an executive order signed by Trump on his first day in office, which ordered a comprehensive dismantling of various diversity and inclusion initiatives across the federal government. These programs, covering aspects such as anti-bias training and financial support for minority farmers and homeowners, have been labeled as “discrimination” by Trump, who has advocated for a return to strictly “merit-based” hiring practices.
The latest executive order rescinds a previous directive from President Lyndon B. Johnson, significantly limiting DEI initiatives for federal contractors and recipients of federal grants. The new order repurposes methods that the Biden administration had utilized to encourage DEI programs in the private sector, now aiming to eradicate them instead.
In a memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management, agencies received instructions to place DEI staff on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and remove all DEI-centered webpages by the same deadline. Some agencies had already preemptively deleted these pages even before the memo was released. Additionally, departments are required to cancel any DEI-related training programs and terminate corresponding contracts, while federal employees are urged to report any suspected relabeling of DEI programs within ten days.
By Thursday, federal agencies are expected to comply by providing a list of DEI offices and personnel as of Election Day. A plan for a “reduction-in-force action” against these workers is to be developed by the following Friday.
This executive order was announced amidst a broader critique of former President Joe Biden for purportedly introducing discriminatory practices across many facets of the federal government through DEI policies.
The directive represents the commencement of a determined effort to overturn DEI initiatives at a national level. This includes empowering the Justice Department and other agencies to investigate private sector companies implementing training and hiring methods that conservative critics argue discriminate against non-minority groups.
The executive order reflects a continuation of the agenda from Trump’s first term, where one of his last actions was to prohibit federal contractors from conducting anti-bias training focused on concepts like systemic racism. Biden swiftly repealed this order upon taking office, alongside introducing several initiatives aimed at promoting DEI across the federal framework.
While many proposed changes might require extensive time for full implementation, Trump’s new anti-DEI agenda appears more aggressive than before, aligning with a corporate environment that has shown increasing reluctance towards diversity practices. Major corporations, including Walmart and Facebook, have either reduced or terminated some diversity initiatives as a reaction to Trump’s administration and legal challenges derived from conservative factions.
Several policies and programs are likely to be impacted by this new initiative:
The immediate effect of Trump’s order will be the dismantling of the comprehensive DEI strategy that the Biden administration had introduced in a workforce consisting of around 2.4 million federal employees. Under Biden, all federal agencies were tasked with producing diversity plans, submitting annual reports on their progress, and contributing data to track demographic trends in hiring.
Trump’s recent executive order is set to eliminate equity plans already established across federal agencies, as well as terminate any roles focused on diversity. This includes the removal of DEI training programs and diversity objectives from employee performance evaluations.
Furthermore, Trump’s order signals the potential for a major redesign of federal spending, an intricate process aimed at identifying programs deemed as giving undue advantages to racial minorities and women. While the specific programs targeted by this order remain unspecified, it mandates a comprehensive review to ensure alignment with Trump’s anti-DEI stance, along with proposals to resolve ongoing lawsuits concerning beneficial programs for historically marginalized communities.
This situation represents a “seismic shift” in the focus of the federal government, according to conservative advocates who have campaigned against such initiatives. However, some fear that the unwinding of established programs may present challenges, particularly when local governments have their own approaches to implementing diversity measures.
It remains unclear whether the administration will challenge all initiatives derived from Biden’s DEI executive order. A notable example is the prohibition of federal agencies from inquiring about prior salary history, a regulation seen as essential in addressing wage disparities affecting women and minorities. Such a repeal would require a lengthy rule-making process similar to what was necessary during Biden’s term.
Despite concerns regarding potential rollbacks, there is hope among advocates that the Trump administration may not dismantle specific rules that have garnered public support, particularly those aimed at expanding job opportunities for individuals with criminal backgrounds.
In summary, while Trump’s executive order introduces sweeping changes, the real-world application of these structural modifications may be complex, given the intricate web of existing policies and government procedures that cannot be easily altered.
