The FBI loves their acronyms—FISA, SAC, VICAP—but they’ll be dealing with one less in the future: DEI. The bureau quietly scratched their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in December and closed shop on the office, according to a report.
The FBI has closed its DEI office, Fox News can confirm.
“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the agency told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
The agency didn’t specify why it had closed the office, although many Republicans have been critical of it prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion, saying that had overshadowed national security.
🚨 #BREAKING: The FBI has officially SHUT DOWN its DEI office, the agency tells Fox News
Kash Patel is ALREADY forcing the FBI to make moves, and he hasn’t even become Director yet.
WINNING! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wtz8mzk4iC
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 16, 2025
DEI has been a hot topic as of late as a new sheriff (Donald Trump) comes to town along with one of his deputies, FBI director nominee Kash Patel. Neither of them is a fan of DEI or “woke,” and the FBI is presumably just trying to get out in front of the situation, knowing that if they don’t do it, Trump, Patel and Co. will do it for them.
Critics have argued that wokeism and DEI have contributed to the military’s recruiting crisis and misplaced focus by authorities in New Orleans, where the horrific New Year’s terror attack occurred, as well as at the Los Angeles Fire Department, which is currently seen portions of the city burn to the ground even as they spend millions on woke policies.
Marsha Blackburn is among many conservative lawmakers who have gone on the record as opposing DEI. The Republican senator from Tennessee sent a letter after the New Orleans attack to former FBI Director Christopher Wray—who tendered his resignation in December before Trump could come into office and can him—saying, “I am deeply concerned that—under your leadership—the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people.”
Many major companies across the United States—including Walmart, Meta, Boeing, Ford, John Deere and more—have announced they are ending (or severely scaling back) their DEI programs after intense pressure from activists like Robby Starbuck.
Starbuck is cautiously optimistic about the news but warns that almost certainly some progressives in the bureau will try to keep operations going using stealth.
The FBI says it’s closing their DEI office but I hope people won’t cheer too hard just yet because I’m told that they’re just attempting to bury many of the policies into other areas of the FBI.@realDonaldTrump @DOGE @JDVance @elonmusk need a team to go through every agency… https://t.co/uojeLoQBf6
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 16, 2025
DEI is rotten to the core and divides more than it unites by prioritizing “equity”—something impossible to achieve in a capitalist system—over excellence. It focuses on obsessing over our differences instead of celebrating our common ground.
It has no place in our top law enforcement agency, which is supposed to be focused on keeping us safe. Bye-bye, DEI.
