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FBI shuttered DEI office in December, Donald Trump now demands ‘corrupt’ division ‘preserve and retain’ its records

BySumanti Sen
Jan 17, 2025 07:10 PM IST

The FBI closed its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office in December last year, a month after Donald Trump’s election victory.

The FBI closed its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office in December last year, a month after Donald Trump’s election victory, New York Post reported. Trump has now demanded that the division “preserve and retain” its records.

FBI shuttered DEI office in December, Donald Trump now demands ‘corrupt’ division ‘preserve and retain’ its records (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)(AP)
FBI shuttered DEI office in December, Donald Trump now demands ‘corrupt’ division ‘preserve and retain’ its records (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)(AP)

“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the bureau said in a statement provided to the outlet.

The federal law enforcement agency did not reveal why it chose to shutter the office. However, the move comes after Trump’s campaign pledged to roll back DEI initiatives as commander in chief.

In a January 17 Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “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. Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration? The reason is, CORRUPTION!”

‘The FBI should be focused on catching criminals, not winning participation trophies’

The FBI was slammed by Republicans following the January 1 New Orleans terror attack over fears that it prioritised DEI over national security. Reacting to the closure, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said, “The question is why were they allowed to be focused on DEI in the first place? The FBI should be focused on catching criminals, not winning participation trophies.”

Blackburn had previously shared her fears about the FBI’s alleged focus on DEI with outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray. She had written a letter to Wray, arguing that under his leadership, the FBI “has settled for lower quality candidates to satisfy DEI mandates.” “To that end, I am deeply concerned that — under your leadership — the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people,” she wrote.

Blackburn also mentioned that many retired agents informed the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government in 2023 that “the law enforcement and intelligence capabilities of the FBI are degrading because the FBI is no longer hiring ‘the best and the brightest’ candidates.’”

“Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans,” she added. “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.”

Wray will be resigning from the bureau when Trump takes office on January 20. The president-elect has picked White House national security official Kash Patel to lead the FBI. However, the Senate must confirm Patel for him to take on the role.

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