President Donald Trump ordered an end to so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion ” ( or DEI ). One of his presidency ’s first goes: firing Coast Guard Commandant Linda Lee Fagan.
Benjamine Huffman, Trump’s acting secretary of Homeland Security, fired Fagan for reasons including an “‘erosion of trust ’ ” through sexual assault coverups and an “excessive focus ” on DEI, according to Fox News. The Coast Guard had fallen short in its responsibilities, including border protection.
Fagan initially took command of the Coast Guard in June 2022. After that time, The Federalist reported, the tree was also punishing people who did not accept the Covid vaccination.
The Coast Guard had been rolling out a “D& I [Diversity and Inclusion ] Action Plan ” from 2019 to 2023, aiming at “meaningful and sustainable transformation. ” One of its aims was to “attract and keep a diverse and inclusive labor, ” but in 2023 — Fagan’s next year in order — a U. S. Government Accountability Office report revealed that the tree had missed its selection goal for the third fiscal year in a column.
Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Eli Crane wrote Fagan and former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas next year, demanding “answers” for the Coast Guard ’s “indoctrination education. ” They specifically took issue with the branch’s “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity ( SOGI ) inclusivity training programs. ”
Trump signed the anti-DE I executive order, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, ” on his first day in office. But Fagan’s fire suggests Trump is sending DEI to death.
Captured by Worldview
Trump’s get outlined the way past President Joe Biden infiltrated the federal government with DEI.
“The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion ’ ( DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military, ” the order reads. “This was a conscious effort stemming from President Biden’s first day in business. ”
It especially mentioned Biden’s professional attempt on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government. ” To fulfill this order, according to Trump’s order, “nearly every federal agency and entity ” submitted “Equity Action Plans ” reporting on its progress to subvert the government with DEI.
“The public launch of these programs demonstrated enormous public misuse and terrible discrimination, ” the order reads. “That ends immediately. ”
Cleaning House
So Trump ordered the “termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility ’ ( DEIA ) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear. ” He tasked the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the solicitor general with enforcing this shift.
“Americans deserve a state committed to serving every man with equal dignity and respect, and to wasting precious tax tools solely on making America great, ” the order reads. “Federal work practices, including Federal individual performance reviews, shall reward individual action, skills, achievement, and hard work and may not under any circumstances regard DEI or DEIAf actors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements. ”
The order tells the AG and director of OPM to “review and revise, as appropriate, all existing Federal employment practices, union contracts, and training policies or programs” for compliance.
It directs administration officials to “terminate” the following: “all DEI, DEIA, and ‘environmental justice ’ offices and positions ”; “‘equity action plans ”; “‘equity ’ actions, initiatives, or programs ”; “‘equity-related ’ grants or contracts ”; and “all DEI or DEIA performance requirements for employees, contractors, or grantees. ” Deputy heads must “assess the operational impact … and cost ” of Biden’s DEI policies and recommend steps for compliance.
Officials must also provide a list of the following: “department DEI, DEIA, or ‘environmental justice ’ positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures ” that existed on Nov. 4, 2024 ( including “an assessment ” of whether they’ve been “misleadingly relabeled” ); federal DEI grantees since the beginning of Biden’s presidency; and federal DEI contractors.
The order calls for a “monthly meeting ” to “inform and advise the President, so that he may formulate appropriate and effective civil-rights policies. ” The meeting will cover the “prevalence ” and “costs of DEI, DEIA, and ‘environmental justice’”; obstacles to compliance; department and agency progress; and “potential areas for additional Presidential or legislative action to advance the policy of equal dignity and respect. ”
Logan Washburn is a staff writer covering election integrity. He is a spring 2025 fellow of The College Fix. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo’s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.
