Executive Order 14151
Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing
Signed on January 20, 2025
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14151, which directs the termination of all diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and accessibility (DEIA) programs across the federal government. The order mandates that federal agencies eliminate DEI offices, training programs, and employment policies designed to address workplace discrimination and equity. It also calls for a review of federal contracts and grants to identify and remove funding associated with DEI and environmental justice initiatives.
🔗 Read the Executive Order on the Federal Register
🔗 Read the White House Announcement
What You Should Know
This order dismantles workplace protections that promote fairness and equal opportunity.
Federal DEI programs were implemented to ensure equal access to opportunities, prevent workplace discrimination, and create a more inclusive workforce. These initiatives helped address systemic barriers that have historically disadvantaged marginalized communities. By eliminating these programs, the government is removing critical safeguards against bias, discrimination, and exclusion in federal employment and policymaking.
Removing DEI programs does not create equality—it reinforces existing disparities.
DEI initiatives do not provide “preferential treatment” based on race or gender. Instead, they ensure that hiring, promotions, and workplace policies are fair and accessible to all Americans, regardless of background. Without these protections, hiring biases and systemic inequalities will go unchecked, disproportionately affecting women, people of color, disabled individuals, and LGBTQ+ employees in federal workplaces.
Environmental justice programs that protect vulnerable communities are also being eliminated.
This order does not just target workplace diversity programs—it also mandates the termination of environmental justice initiatives that address pollution and climate impacts in marginalized communities. Many of these programs were designed to protect low-income and communities of color, which have historically faced higher exposure to pollution, toxic waste, and climate-related disasters. Ending these protections means that corporations and industries will face fewer restrictions, even when their actions harm public health.
Federal contractors and grantees that promote diversity and inclusion will lose funding.
The order directs agencies to cut contracts and funding for organizations that provide DEI training, accessibility initiatives, and environmental justice programs. This means that universities, nonprofits, and businesses that work to advance workplace inclusion and racial justice could lose vital federal support. By stripping funding from these efforts, the administration is undermining decades of progress in civil rights and workplace protections.
The claim that DEI programs are “illegal discrimination” is a deliberate misrepresentation.
The language of this order falsely equates diversity initiatives with discrimination, ignoring the reality that these programs are legally designed to uphold civil rights laws, not violate them. DEI efforts ensure that opportunities are accessible to all Americans, rather than favoring a select few. By misrepresenting DEI as “discriminatory,” the administration is using misinformation to justify dismantling protections against actual discrimination.
Who Wins?
Corporations and industries opposed to diversity regulations.
Businesses that opposed federal diversity initiatives will no longer have to comply with inclusion training, fair hiring standards, or environmental justice policies. This allows companies to prioritize profit over workplace fairness, potentially leading to more discriminatory hiring and promotion practices.
Right-wing politicians and media figures who push anti-DEI narratives.
This order aligns with conservative political efforts to dismantle civil rights policies under the guise of “eliminating radical programs.” By framing DEI as “wasteful” and “discriminatory,” right-wing politicians can use this as a rallying point for their base, even though DEI programs are widely supported by businesses, universities, and civil rights organizations.
Government officials who favor deregulation and reduced accountability.
By eliminating DEI oversight offices, this order removes accountability measures that hold federal agencies responsible for preventing discrimination and promoting fairness. This makes it easier for biased hiring practices to persist within government agencies.
Who Loses?
Federal employees from underrepresented backgrounds.
Without DEI offices and equity policies, marginalized employees will face greater workplace discrimination and fewer opportunities for career advancement. Women, people of color, disabled workers, and LGBTQ+ employees will have fewer legal and institutional protections in federal workplaces.
Communities impacted by environmental injustice.
Environmental justice programs have helped communities facing high levels of pollution, water contamination, and climate risks. Eliminating these programs means that corporations and industries will face fewer restrictions on polluting low-income and BIPOC communities, exacerbating existing health disparities.
Future generations of diverse professionals.
DEI programs help create a more inclusive workforce by ensuring that talented individuals from all backgrounds have access to federal jobs, contracts, and leadership roles. By dismantling these initiatives, this order makes it harder for future generations to compete in a fair and equitable job market.
This executive order represents a deliberate rollback of civil rights protections, workplace fairness, and environmental justice policies. DEI programs were never about preferential treatment; they were about ensuring equal access to opportunities and addressing systemic discrimination. Removing these programs does not create fairness—it reinforces existing inequalities.
This order benefits corporations, anti-diversity advocates, and right-wing politicians, while harming workers, marginalized communities, and future generations. It is a step backward in the fight for civil rights, workplace equality, and social progress.
Take Action
Stay informed and challenge misinformation.
The narrative that DEI programs promote discrimination is false and misleading. Fact-check claims, seek out reliable sources, and educate others on why diversity and equity policies are necessary for a fair society.
Support organizations fighting for civil rights and workplace equity.
Groups like the NAACP, ACLU, and Human Rights Campaign work to defend policies that protect marginalized communities. Supporting their efforts can help push back against this order’s harmful effects.
Advocate for workplace inclusion and environmental protections at the state and local level.
Even as federal DEI programs are eliminated, state and local governments can continue to enforce fair hiring practices and environmental justice policies. Engage with local officials to push for continued protections in your community.
Vote for leaders who support equity and inclusion.
This order is part of a broader political attack on civil rights and workplace fairness. Electing officials who prioritize equal opportunity and diversity is essential to reversing these harmful policies in the future.
Misinformation is being used to justify harmful rollbacks of civil rights protections. Always fact-check claims, support policies that promote fairness, and stay engaged in the fight for equal opportunity and justice.
