This action is set to take effect by the end of January 2025. According to an executive order signed by Trump all DEI positions initiatives and policies within the federal government will be eliminated. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo instructing agencies to place DEI staff on leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday as part of the process of winding down DEI programs.

The executive order accuses former President Joe Biden’s administration of imposing immoral discrimination programs across federal agencies which Trump aims to undo. The decision to remove DEI roles is part of a broader pushback against such initiatives which have drawn increasing criticism from conservative circles.

In his inauguration speech President Trump declared that his administration would work towards creating a colorblind and merit-based society. The new policy also includes ending environmental justice offices which were established during the Biden administration.

Agency heads are required to submit detailed reports to the OPM listing DEI offices personnel and contracts as of the 2024 Election Day. They are also instructed to cancel any DEI-related media training and hiring initiatives.

This move reflects Trump’s broader agenda to reduce government policies that promote diversity and inclusion aligning with his administration’s commitment to a more traditional approach to governance.