The administration of Donald Trump caused a new wave of indignation by ordering, Friday, January 24, 2025, the closure of all the federal offices dedicated to the promotion of the diversity, of theequity, of theinclusion and of theaccessibility (Deia), as well as environmental justice. This measure is accompanied by the dismissal of civil servants of these offices, currently on forced leave, with the due date for two months. The directive was confirmed by an internal note from the ministry responsible for civil servants.
This decision comes only five days after the entry into the office of Donald Trump for his second term. At the same time, he also signed a series of measures to restrict the right to abortion. This aggressive return to social and environmental advances marks a clear break with previous policies in favor of the rights of minorities and marginalized groups.
By putting the employees of the Deia programs on forced leave on Wednesday, January 22, the administration had already set the tone. The ministry explicitly authorized federal agencies to start the dismissal process of the officials concerned without delay. Under the terms of the note, these programs are judged as no longer "priority" in federal governance.
The term OF THE (or DEIA) has been at the heart of conservative discourse in recent years, becoming a symbol of opposition for the American hard right. These programs, often associated with initiatives to recruit people from racial or sexual minorities, are denounced by Republicans as manifestations of favoritism or reverse discrimination. This rhetoric was particularly visible during the presidential campaign, where figures like Kamala Harris were criticized for being “products” of these policies.
A frontal attack on minorities and social justice
In addition to Deia programs, environmental justice has also been targeted by this decision. This concept, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aims to guarantee equitable treatment and active participation of all citizens, whatever their origin, in decisions affecting their health and environment. So far, EPA has a branch dedicated to this crucial, now dissolved issue.
Donald Trump also continued his offensive against the rights of transgender people, declaring on his first day in office, January 20, that his administration would no longer recognize “two sexes, male and female.” This announcement marks a brutal reversal of the progress made under previous administrations in terms of recognition of gender identities.
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A policy aligned with the conservative right
These decisions reflect Donald Trump's displayed strategy to attack the initiatives he considers to be the "excess" of progressive policies. Throughout his campaign, he hammered his desire to refocus federal policies on a conservative vision, opposed to the rights of minorities and environmental initiatives.
This offensive has aroused virulent criticism from human and environmental rights defenders. Supporters of these programs believe that their dismantling will accentuate social and environmental inequalities, while reducing the protections of the most vulnerable groups of American society.
By doing so, Donald Trump aligns himself with a conservative electoral base and claims a clear break with the progressive policies of previous years. This massive dismissal, combined with other similar measures, will certainly leave a lasting mark on his second term, both nationally and internationally.