The recent directive from the Trump administration to eliminate all federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs has ignited significant controversy within the federal workforce. Signed immediately upon assuming office, this unprecedented ban has raised concerns among civil servants and advocacy groups. Critics argue that the move not only undermines efforts to create a representative and supportive work environment but also targets employees who championed these essential programs.
The DEIA programs aimed to ensure that workplaces were welcoming and accessible, particularly for veterans with service-connected disabilities. With over half of the 642,000 veterans serving in the federal government identified as having such disabilities, the elimination of these programs is seen as detrimental to inclusivity efforts. The administration justified its decision by claiming these initiatives "divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination."
In a sweeping move to enforce this directive, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) circulated an email template encouraging federal employees to report colleagues who continued working on DEIA initiatives. Those who had engaged in DEIA-related work up to November 5, 2020—the day of the presidential election—were particularly targeted for elimination. This has raised alarms among many who feel that the administration's actions are retaliatory and represent a broader agenda to reduce the federal workforce's size.
Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, voiced his concerns about the ramifications of this policy. He stated, “This is not comparable to anything we have seen in decades,” emphasizing the unusual nature of the actions taken against civil servants. He further elaborated that even during Trump’s first administration, such measures were not enacted. “In any recent administration, we did not see civil servants be taken out in this kind of manner. This is unprecedented and, frankly, a scary action being taken.”
“This is not comparable to anything we have seen in decades.”
— Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees.
Supporters of the ban argue that it reflects a new administration's prerogative to reshape policy priorities. Jenny Mattingley, vice-president of government affairs at the Partnership for Public Service, acknowledged that “Each administration has priorities around various policy issues, and DEI is one of those.” However, she also expressed concern about holding non-partisan career employees accountable for implementing policies from previous administrations, indicating that these individuals play crucial roles irrespective of political shifts.
The elimination of DEIA programs has led to immediate changes within federal agencies. Thousands of pages of training materials related to DEIA at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute have been suspended, while any references to "diversity," "equity," or "inclusion" have been deleted from the IRS's procedural handbook. Such drastic measures have prompted strong reactions from those who believe they impede progress toward a more diverse and equitable federal workforce.
Among those affected are employees who have been put on leave due to their involvement in DEIA initiatives. One employee remarked on the importance of building trust within agencies that serve diverse communities. “You want to really build trust and make sure these agencies are able to reflect the communities that they’re working with,” they stated.
Critics have argued that the ban disproportionately impacts veterans with service-connected disabilities. Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees National, highlighted this concern, noting that eliminating DEIA programs will “unfairly harm veterans wearing their second uniform in service of their country.” He further characterized the attacks on DEIA as a smokescreen aimed at undermining the integrity of the apolitical civil service.
“Over half of the 642,000 veterans serving in our federal government have service-connected disabilities. One important role diversity, equity and inclusion programs perform is ensuring the workplace is welcoming and accessible to these veterans so a diverse workforce can harness its collective strengths to better serve the public.”
— Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees National.
The Trump administration has taken a broader approach involving mass head-count reductions under a new "department of government efficiency," reportedly led by Elon Musk. Critics argue that reducing the workforce responsible for implementing government programs will compromise efficiency and service delivery. Jeremy Wood expressed his concerns about this strategy, stating, “If the idea is to increase government efficiency and delivering our programs faster and better, taking away the workforce that’s doing it is not the greatest way.”