Trump eliminates DEI programs for Department of Defense (includes video story)

This past Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs for the Department of Defense. This comes after another order was signed last week to shut down DEI programs for all federal offices and place DEI employees on paid leave immediately.

In the order, Trump states that such programs “discourage merit and leadership” and “discriminate on the basis of race and gender.”

As Michael Leach, the White House’s former chief diversity and inclusion officer, explains, ending these federal programs leaves ripple effects for everyone, not just minorities.

“If we continue to send this signal, private sector employers, federal government agencies, they’re going to feel less inclined to invest, and you risk losing the best and brightest talent, who might choose to sit out or stay silent. Every company is at its strongest when its workforce reflects the communities it serves.”

Anna Trinidad is a senior majoring in digital journalism. She hopes that her dedication to multimedia projects will land her a career as a news anchor in the future.