The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to close all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEI) offices and place employees on paid administrative leave, according to a memorandum issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The move, a significant step in President Donald Trump's campaign to dismantle DEI programs, affects federal employees across all agencies as of Election Day.
Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell's memo instructed agencies to notify employees of the closures and remove all public-facing DEI materials, including websites and social media accounts, by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The directive also orders the cancellation of all DEI-related training programs and mandates that agencies report their progress to OPM by Thursday.
Employees impacted by the closures will remain on paid administrative leave while OPM coordinates a reduction-in-force (RIF) plan to finalize terminations by January 31. The memo directed agencies to inform employees that DEI programs "divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars and resulted in shameful discrimination." Employees were also encouraged to report any attempts to obscure DEI efforts within the past 10 days, with a warning that failure to do so could result in disciplinary action.
The decision follows Trump's executive order issued Monday, which abolished DEI efforts across the federal government. The White House described the move as part of an effort to "dismantle the DEI bureaucracy" and eliminate programs the administration argues are wasteful and divisive.
Ezell's directive also targets employees still in their probationary period, who can be dismissed without the typical civil service protections. The OPM memo requests a list of all recent hires from federal agencies, signaling that additional terminations could follow.
The administration has framed the rollback as a return to merit-based hiring. During a Monday briefing, a senior official pledged that the executive order would "dismantle the DEI bureaucracy, and this includes environmental justice programs, equity-related grants, equity action plans, and equity initiatives."
Federal agencies with dedicated DEI offices, such as the Department of Defense's Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, are among those most affected. These offices manage programs such as diversity recruitment, minority-owned business development, and anti-discrimination training.
Critics have condemned the move, arguing that DEI programs address systemic inequities and promote workplace diversity. Hundreds of civil rights and advocacy groups are preparing for legal battles, according to CNN. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also stated it is closely reviewing the administration's actions and public statements for potential challenges.
Legal experts note that the administration's authority to shut down DEI offices may be limited in cases where funding is explicitly allocated by Congress. A president cannot unilaterally "undermine agencies' ability to carry out functions that Congress mandates," said Donald F. Kettl, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland and former dean of its School of Public Policy.
The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which handles federal employment disputes, is expected to face significant challenges processing appeals if widespread layoffs proceed. The board, typically handling a few thousand cases per year, may have to consolidate cases into a class action if the volume overwhelms its resources.
