Lay Offs in US Govt: Trump Administration Directs All Federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Staff Be Put on Leave

The Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave and asks agencies to make plans to lay them off, according to a memo issued on Tuesday, January 21, from the Office of Personnel Management.

US President Donald Trump has signed the memo order of his first day in office, ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners, reported news agency AP.

Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave, plans to lay them off, AP reports. pic.twitter.com/Hu9jUPKuFr

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2025

The memo also directs agencies to place Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office employees on paid leave by 5 pm from Wednesday (January 22) and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. 

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The executive order accuses former President Joe Biden of forcing “discrimination” programs into “virtually all aspects of the federal government” through “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs, known as DEI. The order gives all federal agencies 60 days to close all offices and positions dedicated to DEI and dismantle any aspects of programs, grants and contracts related to diversity, equity or “environmental justice.”