WASHINGTON — The intelligence agency of the Defense Department has decided to halt the observance of several significant cultural and historical events, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Pride Month, and Holocaust Days of Remembrance. This decision comes in light of President Donald Trump’s directive to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from federal workplaces.
A memo from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which was released on Tuesday, indicated that this suspension affects 11 notable annual events, such as Black History Month starting this Saturday and National Hispanic Heritage Month. A U.S. official, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the topic, confirmed the memo’s authenticity.
According to the memo, there has been an increasing number of inquiries within the workforce regarding the appropriate path forward. It stated, “DIA will pause all activities and events related to Agency Special Emphasis Programs effective immediately and until further notice.” The pause will also include the suspension of “special observances” scheduled throughout the year. Although Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth are listed, the memo clarified that this change will not affect these national holidays.
The details of this memo were originally highlighted by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein on social media. Federal agencies have been attempting to navigate the implications of Trump’s executive order from January 20, which effectively discontinued DEI initiatives across the federal government. As a result, many agencies have adopted a broad interpretation of the order, citing the lack of explicit guidance from the White House on how to implement the directive.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered staff to establish a task force focused on ensuring the complete removal of DEI programs within the Pentagon. “We’re not joking around,” Hegseth stated in an interview. “There’s no changing of names or softly manipulating something. DEI is gone.”
In response to inquiries regarding the DIAs memo, the agency communicated later on Wednesday that it is “working with the Department of Defense to fully implement all executive orders and administration guidance in a timely manner.” They further added that updates to their internal guidance would occur as further instructions are received.
Alongside the events already mentioned, the DIA memo also lists annual observances such as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Women’s Equality Day, and Women’s History Month.
During a briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if the observance of Black History Month would be discontinued. She responded, “As far as I know, this White House certainly still intends to celebrate, and we will continue to celebrate American history and the contributions that all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed, have made to our great country.”
The recent changes to holiday observances echo the Air Force’s swift decision to eliminate DEI training from basic military courses, which briefly led to the removal of instructional videos on notable historical figures such as the Tuskegee Airmen and female pilots from World War II. After facing some backlash, the Air Force announced that the history of these groups would continue to be integrated into their educational programs.
