Trump Axes Affirmative Action: DEI Programs Scrapped Nationwide

The Trump administration has taken swift action to eliminate affirmative action in federal contracting and to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies.

These moves, announced Tuesday, stem from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office. The order aims to undo policies implemented under the Biden administration, which Trump has labeled as discriminatory and a departure from “merit-based” hiring practices, as first reported by The Associated Press. 

Immediate Changes in Federal DEI Policies

The executive order reverses a landmark directive issued by President Lyndon Johnson that established affirmative action in federal contracting.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo, first reported by CBS News,  Tuesday directing federal agencies to:

• Place DEI staff on paid leave by Wednesday at 5 p.m.
• Remove public DEI-focused web pages by the same deadline.
• Cancel all DEI-related training and contracts.

Additionally, federal workers are being instructed to report any renamed DEI programs within 10 days or face “adverse consequences.” Agencies are required to compile lists of DEI staff and offices by Thursday and develop plans to lay off those employees by next Friday.

Broader Implications of the Executive Order

This move reflects an intensified effort to curtail DEI initiatives. Trump’s executive order accuses the previous administration of embedding discriminatory practices “into virtually all aspects of the federal government.”

In addition to targeting federal agencies, the Trump administration is leveraging the Justice Department and other agencies to scrutinize private companies engaged in DEI efforts. This includes investigating training and hiring practices perceived as discriminatory against non-minority groups, such as white men.

Experts suggest that the sweeping nature of these changes will face significant bureaucratic and legal challenges. Federal policies and programs often have deeply entrenched frameworks that cannot be quickly dismantled.Noreen Farrell, executive director of gender rights group Equal Rights Advocates, told AP News, that “the reality of implementing such massive structural changes is far more complex.”

“Federal agencies have deeply embedded policies and procedures that can’t simply be switched off overnight,” she added