Federal agencies, including key members of the U.S. intelligence community, are rolling back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting such initiatives.
The order, issued on Trump’s first day back in office, mandates the elimination of DEI-related policies across federal agencies, prompting compliance from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Security Agency (NSA).
The CIA has also taken immediate action to dismantle its DEI initiatives, confirming its compliance with the executive order. A spokesperson for the agency stated, “CIA is complying with the Executive Order. We are laser-focused on our foreign intelligence mission. We are complying with the EO and [Office of Personnel Management] Implementing Guidance.”
The spokesperson also revealed that on January 31, the agency officially disbanded its Agency Resource Groups (ARGs), Directorate Resource Groups (DRGs), and Workforce Partner Groups—previously designed to support employees from diverse backgrounds.
Additionally, the CIA has removed its Diversity and Inclusion webpage, which now redirects to a “404 error” page. According to an archived version of the site, these ARGs were groups comprised of “employees and allies who share a common affinity.” One such group, the Agency Network for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Officers & Allies (ANGLE), was highlighted in a 2019 CIA social media post when the agency was nominated by Glassdoor as one of the “Amazing Companies That Champion #LGBTQ Equality.” That nomination and acknowledgment have now been removed from public access.
The now-deleted DEI webpage also previously linked to the 2024–2027 CIA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategy, which is no longer in effect and no longer appears on the agency’s official website.
The FBI has also confirmed its full compliance with Trump’s executive order, which has resulted in the elimination of its DEI Office. In December, the bureau removed diversity from its official list of Core Values. In a statement to the Daily Caller, the FBI said:
“The FBI is fully complying with the Executive Order regarding DEI programs and implementation guidance provided by the Office of Personnel Management. As a result, Diversity has been removed from the FBI’s list of organizational Core Values. Visual and informational materials promoting Diversity as a Core Value are being removed from FBI space.”
In response to past criticism of its DEI programs, the FBI also clarified that the removal of these materials does not violate lawful records retention policies.
“The removal of non-record visual and informational materials regarding the FBI’s Core Values is indicative of a need to update these materials and in no way violates our lawful records retention obligations under the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA),” the agency stated.
The FBI has faced scrutiny in recent years over claims that DEI priorities impacted its hiring standards. In 2024, current and former agents alleged that the bureau had lowered hiring requirements as part of its commitment to DEI, prioritizing diversity in recruitment efforts at the expense of traditional merit-based selection criteria.
The controversy intensified following a New Year’s terrorist attack, after which the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office received backlash over its history of promoting DEI. In May 2024, the office had announced a “Diversity Agent Recruitment (DAR) event” aimed at increasing diverse hiring within the agency. Critics have pointed to these initiatives as examples of policies that may have weakened the agency’s overall effectiveness.
The NSA has also taken steps to align with the administration’s directive. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed that a review of DEI-related language on its website was conducted to ensure compliance. “NSA has taken steps to ensure we are in full compliance with the Administration’s Executive Order regarding DEI functions and activities,” the spokesperson told the Daily Caller.
The agency stated it is continuing to review its programs and policies, adding:
“As we receive additional guidance, we are working to ensure NSA programs, activities, policies, and guidance are updated to reflect White House policy.”
The rollback of DEI initiatives within intelligence agencies reflects the Trump administration’s broader policy approach against identity-based programs in government institutions. Trump has long opposed DEI policies, arguing they prioritize race and gender over merit.
Former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a female Hawaiian veteran who now serves as Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, has been outspoken against identity politics in the past.
In a 2022 statement, she criticized the Democratic Party’s focus on DEI, stating:
“One of the main reasons I left today’s [Democratic] Party is [because] of their obsession with race, sexuality and other externals instead of merit. America is the greatest country in [the] world because it’s a meritocracy. If we become a society based on externals, America’s excellence will be history.”
With federal agencies rapidly shifting policies to comply with Trump’s executive order, the future of DEI initiatives across government institutions remains uncertain. The dismantling of these programs within the intelligence community suggests that other federal agencies may soon follow suit.
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