The FBI’s DEI initiative has long been criticized by Republicans over concerns it has caused one of the country’s most powerful intelligence agencies to “abandon its core principle of attracting the most-qualified candidates and instead hire and advance employees based on gender/sexual orientation and race.”

President-elect Donald Trump has cried foul over the FBI shuttering its diversity, equity and inclusion wing just before his return to the White House. Trump and his MAGA allies have long railed against DEI,

The FBI’s New Orleans office also faced backlash for organizing “Diversity Agent Recruiting” events, which critics claim distracted from its safety and security responsibilities. Anti-DEI advocates have pointed to these initiatives as emblematic of misplaced priorities within federal agencies.

Trump claimed that the DEI office, which the FBI actually calls the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), should never have been opened and alleged that it was closed before his return because of corruption within the bureau.

The development comes at a time when Trump and other Republican leaders have been increasingly critical of government agencies prioritising diversity, equity and inclusion over national security

The FBI closed its diversity, equity, and inclusion office last month as the Trump administration comes closer to taking control. The DEI office closed effective December 2024, the agency told Fox News Digital.

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