When Trump took office, he signed an executive order mandating an end to government-funded DEI efforts and directing that DEI-related roles be phased out. The administration has also exerted pressure on private sector employers to similarly shift their focus away from DEI initiatives.

The administration has targeted newly-hired employees in a yearlong “probationary” period at other federal agencies as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s downsizing effort, led by billionaire Elon Musk. Probationary employees make up about 10% of federal workers across agencies.