Trump orders immediate closure of all US federal diversity offices | Trump’s administration

US federal employees working in diversity offices will be on paid leave Wednesday night as Donald Trump’s new administration has ordered the programs to close, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed.

“Notify all employees in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close/terminate all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs,” said a US office of personnel management memo published on X.

The memo, confirmed by Leavitt, directed all department and agency heads to send employees notice no later than 17.00 Wednesday.

On Monday, the first day of his second term as president, Trump rescinded several executive orders promoting LGBTQ equality and issued new orders decreeing only two genders and ending government diversity programs.

During the presidential campaign, he railed against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the federal government and business, saying they discriminated against white people—especially men.

“The Biden administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs dubbed ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ (DEI) into virtually every aspect of the federal government, in areas ranging from airline security to the military,” one executive said. to end such initiatives.

During the campaign, Trump also demonized any recognition of gender diversity, criticized transgender people – especially transgender women in sports – and gender-affirming child care.

Before a crowd of supporters in Washington, Trump on Monday revoked 78 orders, actions and presidential memoranda issued by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Several of the overturned decrees promoted diversity and equality in government, the workplace and health care, and the rights of LGBTQ Americans.