The FBI abruptly closed down its diversity office last month, the agency confirmed.
"In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024," the agency told several outlets on Thursday without offering specifics.
This came one month after President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election and vowed to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Trump reacted to the news in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
“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,” he wrote.
“Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration? The reason is, CORRUPTION!” he added.
Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R) reacted to the news in a statement to the New York Post.
“The question is why were they allowed to be focused on DEI in the first place?” Blackburn said.
“The FBI should be focused on catching criminals, not winning participation trophies,” the senator added.
Earlier this month, Blackburn addressed her concerns about DEI in the FBI in a letter to outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray. She pointed out that the agency “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. This came in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“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.”
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