In a sweeping move that has sent shockwaves through the federal government, the Trump administration has issued an executive order to eliminate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs across all federal agencies. The order, titled “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions,” was quickly followed by a detailed implementation memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on January 21, 2025.
The OPM memo, signed by Acting Director Charles Ezell, outlines aggressive steps to be taken by federal agencies:
- All DEIA office employees were to be placed on paid administrative leave by 5:00 PM EST on January 22, 2025.
- Agencies were instructed to remove all outward-facing media related to DEIA offices.
- DEIA-related trainings are to be canceled, and associated contracts terminated.
- Agencies must report on their compliance and submit plans for potential reduction-in-force actions by January 31, 2025.
The memo also calls for agencies to identify any attempts to “disguise” DEIA programs through changes in contract or position descriptions since November 5, 2024.
The impact of this order is already being felt across various federal agencies. In a stark example of its effects, US Coast Guard commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an Armed Forces branch, was fired on January 21, 2025. She was hired as admiral in 2022. According to anonymous sources, Fagan’s termination was due to her “excessive” focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
Fagan’s DEI efforts were in response to a 2021 Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) report that revealed underrepresentation of women and racial and ethnic minorities at all levels of the Coast Guard. The report highlighted lower retention rates for women and Black personnel, impacting their representation in senior ranks. In August 2022, under Fagan’s leadership, the Coast Guard developed its first-ever Diversity and Inclusion Education and Awareness Program to address these issues.
In a statement to military.com, the Department of Homeland Security said Fagan also reportedly failed to effectively manage border security and drug smuggling issues, had ongoing problems with recruiting, and mismanaged acquisitions, causing delays and budget overruns in icebreaker programs. Furthermore, she was criticized for prioritizing diversity policies and mishandling Operation Fouled Anchor, an investigation into sexual assaults at the Coast Guard Academy.
In 2022, Fagan told the New York Times, “When I look up in the organization, at least just a couple years ago there was not a ton of diversity. Even still we don’t have the diversity we need at the senior leadership ranks. But as I look back, it’s all there and coming—certainly for women, and we still need to increase our number of underrepresented minority males.”
“Diverse work teams just outperform nondiverse work teams,” she added. “We need to ensure that there are no barriers to service for those that are service-minded and meet the requirements of service.”
While Trump cannot create a new “DOGE” department through Executive Order like he has attempted, the “appointed” head of “DOGE” Elon Musk had the following to say about Fagan on X, formerly Twitter:
The executive order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, has several other immediate effects on federal employees:
- Return to in-person work: Federal agencies are directed to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to their duty stations full-time. However, agency heads can make exemptions they deem necessary.
- Hiring freeze: A temporary halt on hiring has been implemented across most federal agencies, with exceptions for military and critical priorities like immigration enforcement.
