Trump’s federal DEI purge puts hundreds on leave, nixes $420M in contracts

President Donald Trump’s executive order terminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs has caused a significant shakeup in the government. According to a senior administration official speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital, 395 government bureaucrats have been sidelined as a result of this order. In addition to this, Trump’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has revealed that approximately $420 million in current and impending contracts, primarily focused on DEI initiatives, have been canceled.

Following the signing of the executive order on the day of Trump’s inauguration, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) instructed heads of agencies and departments to start the process of shutting down all DEI offices by the end of the day on Wednesday. Employees working in these offices were placed on paid leave, with their future employment status still uncertain.

Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management Charles Ezell issued a memo directing agencies to inform all employees of the DEI shutdown by the end of business on January 22. Agencies were also required to take down all DEI-related websites and social media accounts, cancel contracts and training related to DEI, and report any attempts to conceal DEI programs using coded language. By noon on January 23, agencies had to provide OPM with lists of all DEI offices, employees, and contracts in effect as of November 5, 2024.

By January 24, agency heads were mandated to submit a plan to OPM outlining how they would execute a reduction-in-force action regarding DEI employees and provide a list of any contract or position descriptions that had been altered since November 5, 2024, to obscure their connection to DEI programs.

Trump’s executive order was one of several he signed on his first day in office, which also included directives on recognizing only two genders and withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement. Additionally, two other executive actions aimed at targeting DEI were issued, one to end discrimination in the workplace and higher education based on race and sex, and another to eliminate a Biden administration policy focused on DEI hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration.

The executive order overturned President Joe Biden’s initiative on promoting diversity, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” which was signed on Biden’s first day in office.

The impact of Trump’s executive order on DEI programs continues to unfold, with many employees now facing an uncertain future within the government. Stay tuned for further developments on this story.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Landon Mion have provided valuable contributions to this report.