The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed it closed its Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) in December. The announcement comes less than a month before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office for a second term.
“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the agency told Fox News in a statement Thursday, Jan. 17.
Now, Trump is weighing in on the decision. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, “We demand that the FBI preserve and retain all records, documents, and information on the now closing DEI office—never should have been opened and, if it was, should have closed long ago. Why is it that they’re closing one day before the inauguration of a new administration? The reason is, corruption!”
In September 2020, during his first term in the White House, then-President Trump signed an executive order titled “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,” which stated, “It shall be the policy of the United States not to promote race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating in the federal workforce or in the uniformed services.”
The order banned certain diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training. It also prohibited federal agencies and contractors from conducting training that promoted certain concepts. They include the idea that one race or sex is inherently superior to another or that the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.
After President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he quickly revoked Trump’s executive order and signed a new one titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” The new order aimed to promote diversity and inclusion in federal agencies rather than restrict them.
The FBI’s announcement comes after Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote a letter to outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray shortly after a terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day that left 14 people dead.
In the letter, Blackburn accuses Wray of settling for low-quality candidates to satisfy DEI mandates. She says it compromises national security.
“Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans,” Blackburn’s letter states. “Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well-founded.”
Just a few months ago on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to end DEI policies at universities. He claimed the practices are discriminatory. He threatened to impose fines on colleges equal to their entire endowment if they continued implementing DEI initiatives.
Alabama passed a law last year barring state institutions from using public funds for DEI initiatives. It led to the University of Alabama and Auburn University closing their DEI offices.
Iowa, Texas and Utah have all banned DEI initiatives at universities.
In the private sector, major companies have also recently announced plans to roll back their DEI efforts. They include Walmart, John Deere, Molson Coors, Lowe’s, Meta and Tractor Supply.
Wray announced he will resign from his position, despite having three years left in his term, when Trump takes office.
Trump has tapped Kash Patel to lead the agency, pending Senate confirmation.
