WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is ordering all federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion positions to be placed on paid leave by Wednesday evening, according to a new memo from the Office of Personnel Management.
The memo gave a deadline of no later than 5 p.m. ET Wednesday for all employees to be informed that they will be put on paid administrative leave as the agencies prepare to close all DEI-related offices and programs and remove all websites and social media accounts.
“The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
Employees must also divulge if they know of any plans to “disguise” DEI programs “by using coded or imprecise language,” according to the memo.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday ending “radical and wasteful” diversity, equity and inclusion programs in federal agencies, ordering DEI offices and programs to shut down.
“President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Tuesday night. “This is another win for Americans of all races, religions, and creeds. Promises made, promises kept.”
It was not clear how many employees would be affected.
Companies like Walmart , Facebook, and McDonalds already rolled back their DEI programs after coming under attack from conservatives.
Trump accused former President Joe Biden of encouraging discrimination in “virtually all aspects of the federal government” by promoting diversity programs.
Trump signed multiple executive orders on Monday, including ending Biden-era border policies and pardoning the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters.
