What are federal DEI regulations? : NPR Politics Podcast : NPR

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.

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President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.

Evan Vucci/AP

The president claims that such programs, intended to increase the diversity of the federal workforce, were discriminatory. The actions put employees who staff federal DEI programs on leave and call on agencies to develop a “reduction in force” against the employees.

Then, during a prayer service at the National Cathedral on Tuesday, the Episcopal bishop of Washington directly confronted President Trump while he and Vice President JD Vance sat in the front row.

This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, political correspondent Susan Davis and religion correspondent Jason DeRose.

The podcast is produced by Bria Suggs & Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes and more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.