Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning to employees of the Department of Defense (DoD) that those who do not comply with President Donald Trump’s anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies will be terminated.
“The President’s guidance (lawful orders) is clear: No more DEI at [DoD]. The Pentagon will comply, immediately. No exceptions, name-changes, or delays,” he wrote in a post on X.
Hegseth began his first day as defense secretary on Monday morning after a tense confirmation process that drew in Vice President JD Vance to break the 50-50 tie. During his first press conference, Hegseth reiterated that one of his first focuses will be rolling back DEI programs at DoD, as well as implementing other executive orders issued by the president.
But unlike other Federal agencies, the DoD does not have full-time, dedicated personnel for DEI initiatives.
Additionally, identifying and addressing any DEI-related programs within the department will be a challenging task, given the DoD’s vast size and budget: 2.1 million service members, nearly 780,000 civilians, and an $850 billion budget.
On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing Federal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs. The order reverses a 2021 initiative on DEIA introduced by former President Joe Biden and initiates a 60-day deadline to eliminate DEI, DEIA, and environmental protection programs across Federal agencies.
Specifically, the order calls for termination of diversity officer positions; “all ‘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.”
In addition to rolling back DEI efforts at the department, Hegseth also pledged to reinstate troops discharged from service for refusing coronavirus vaccines during the pandemic.
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