US President Donald Trump ordered, this Wednesday, January 22, the immediate suspension of employees involved in federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) programs initiated under the previous Democratic administration. This decision, announced by a memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), precedes the definitive closure of offices by January 31.
“All affected employees must be notified of their placement on leave with immediate effect” confirmed Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the White House, in a publication on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
The announcement comes as Trump publicly attacked Washington’s Episcopalian bishop, Mariann Edgar Budde. During a sermon delivered the day before at the national cathedral during the national prayer service, the bishop called for more ” mercy “ towards immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities, while expressing concerns about the political orientations of the presidency.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump responded fiercely, calling Budde a “radical left-wing pseudo-bishop” and accusing him of using his church as “political platform”. He also demanded that she apologize to him.
During his intervention, the bishop denounced the climate of fear felt by “many gay, lesbian and transgender children” and emphasized that “the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals”
-An expanded purge
Continuing these steps, Trump has directed his administration to identify and remove more than 1,000 officials appointed during the Biden era. These individuals are considered “unaligned” with his vision of “make America great again”he said.
These actions, seen as an offensive against progressive progress, have sparked strong criticism from Democrats and civil rights organizations. They denounce an attempt to call into question fundamental achievements in terms of equality and the protection of minorities.
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