USA 
United Kingdom
The Trump administration moved swiftly to dismantle federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, ordering agencies to terminate such programs and place officials responsible for them on administrative leave.
The directive, issued by the Office of Personnel Management, aligns with Trump’s broader effort to eliminate policies he described as promoting “identity-based spoils systems.”
In a memo distributed to department and agency heads, federal officials were instructed to halt all DEI-related initiatives by 5 pm Wednesday (22nd). The directive also mandated the removal of references to DEI in official materials, the withdrawal of pending documents promoting diversity efforts, and the closure of DEI offices.
Employees responsible for DEI programs were placed on paid administrative leave and informed that their roles would be phased out. The memo additionally directed agency heads to identify and eliminate any remaining DEI programs operating under “disguised or coded language.”
The action follows an executive order which seeks to reverse federal diversity efforts initiated during the Biden administration.
Reversing Biden-era policy
Trump’s executive order specifically rescinds one of President Biden’s first-day directives, titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Supporting Underserved Communities,” which had required federal agencies to integrate equity into policymaking.
Trump and other conservative voices argue that the policies undermine “traditional American values” of meritocracy and excellence. The new order declares that DEI initiatives promote discrimination and weaken national unity.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies deny, discredit, and undermine hard work, excellence, and individual achievement,” it says, “They prioritize how people were born instead of what they are capable of doing.”
During his inaugural address, Trump vowed to eliminate what he called “social engineering” efforts in federal and private institutions, pledging to create a “colorblind and merit-based” society.
Impact on federal contractors
While the federal government’s jurisdiction over private-sector practices is limited, the new order applies to federal contractors and subcontractors, who are now required to comply with anti-DEI rules. Federal agencies have also been directed to investigate private companies and foundations for adherence to civil rights laws.
The administration’s swift rollback has already influenced private-sector decisions. Several corporations began scaling back DEI programs in anticipation of Trump’s presidency, while others have remained steadfast in their commitment to them.
The administration frames its efforts as a commitment to equality under the law, but critics argue the policies reverse decades of progress in addressing systemic inequities.
