Just days before the start of Black History Month, employees from the Pentagon’s intelligence agency received a memo notifying them that all activities related to the annual commemoration were now banned.
According to a memo obtained by NBC News, the Defense Intelligence Agency ordered a pause of all activities and events related to 11 “special observances” in compliance with President Donald Trump’s ban on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs in the federal workplace.
In addition to Black History Month, the agency also ordered the suspension of events marking Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, Women’s History Month, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Martin Luther King III, son of the civil rights icon, responded to reports of the memo with a post on X, writing, “Now more than ever, I am dedicated to being about my father’s business and I encourage all people of good will to be about the business of Peace, Justice, Love, and Equity.”
In that memo, Hegseth wrote that DEI efforts ‘are incompatible with the values of DoD.’
Employees of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services received a similar directive last week. In an email shared with NBC News, they were notified that all affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, were “being disbanded and special observances are being canceled.”
Federal agencies across the government have scrambled to comply with Trump’s executive order targeting DEI. Posts related to such initiatives have been removed from several government websites, including the Office of Personnel Management and the Homeland Security Department. Federal agency webpages that previously led to posts on diversity and accessibility resources now display a “Page Not Found — 404” error message. Agencies have been ordered to place DEI staff on paid leave while the government draws up plans for their dismissal. Trump’s new defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who now oversees the Pentagon, has been one of the most ardent supporters of the president’s anti-DEI push. On Wednesday, Hegseth sent out a memo of his own announcing the creation of a task force aimed at abolishing diversity initiatives across the department. In that memo, Hegseth wrote that DEI efforts “are incompatible with the values of DoD.” Despite these orders, it appears the White House still plans to celebrate Black History Month. During her first briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if the Trump administration intended to mark the annual event. “As far as I know, this White House certainly still intends to celebrate — and we will continue to celebrate American history and the contributions that all Americans, regardless of race, religion or creed, have made to our great country,” Leavitt told reporters before declaring that “America is back.”
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW.
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