US President-elect Donald Trump has demanded “all records” be preserved for potential review
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed the closure of its Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in a statement to Fox News. The sudden announcement prompted President-elect Donald Trump to call for transparency regarding the office’s activities and funding.
The FBI did not specify the exact reason for the closure, but the move aligns with Trump’s campaign pledge to reduce DEI initiatives across federal agencies as soon as he is sworn in as the 47th US president on Monday.
“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the agency said in a statement first cited by Fox News on Thursday.
“We demand that the FBI preserve and retain all records, documents, and information on the now-closing DEI Office — Never should have been opened, and, if it was, should have closed long ago,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday night.
“Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration? The reason is, CORRUPTION!” he added.
The FBI’s decision follows criticism from Republican lawmakers who argue that the agency’s focus on DEI has compromised national security, and comes amid a broader national debate over the role of DEI programs in government and the private sector. Critics argue that such initiatives detract from core missions and reduce operational effectiveness.
During his campaign, Trump promised to combat what his supporters, including billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, have called the “woke virus.” Since Trump’s election victory, multiple US corporations – including Meta, Amazon, McDonald’s, Ford, and Walmart – have scaled back or abandoned their DEI measures.
Earlier this month, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn voiced concerns about the FBI’s DEI efforts in a letter to outgoing Director Christopher Wray. Blackburn claimed that prioritizing diversity over competence could endanger public safety.
“Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans,” Blackburn wrote. “Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well-founded.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray announced in December that he would step down from his position. Wray, originally nominated by Trump in 2017 after the firing of then-Director James Comey during the ‘Russiagate’ scandal, will be succeeded by a new appointee. The incoming administration has signaled plans to nominate Kash Patel, a former White House national security official, to replace Wray, pending Senate confirmation.