DOGE Leader Musk Reviews Cuts to US Federal Diversity Program

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is reportedly considering plans to cut the budget for the U.S. federal government's 'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)' programs.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 16th (local time), citing sources, that "advisors at the Department of Government Efficiency are reviewing a 19-page proposal to abolish DEI programs created by the conservative nonprofit organization Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL)." While the possibility of completely eliminating the federal DEI budget is low, the report stated that cost-saving measures such as terminating DEI program beneficiaries are being discussed.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

A source familiar with the launch plans of the Department of Government Efficiency explained, "An order has come from above that all DEI-related work must disappear," adding, "Once personnel appointments, including CEO Musk, are finalized and President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on the 20th, everything will proceed quickly and intensely."

DEI refers to the social principle that governments, universities, and companies should pursue racial and gender diversity in hiring and compensation. The U.S. government has historically operated subsidy policies targeting minority-owned businesses that have faced discrimination. WILL urged the repeal of President Joe Biden’s executive order, which mandates that 15% of federal contracts be allocated to minority-owned businesses, stating that the government spends over $120 billion annually on these DEI programs.

WP expressed concern, saying, "Even if all DEI programs identified by WILL are eliminated, the impact on the $7 trillion federal budget would be minimal," but warned that "if the DEI budget is cut, agencies serving Black, Latin American, and Native American communities could face financial crises."

DEI, which spread throughout society following the death of George Floyd in 2020, has faced backlash after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2023 that 'Affirmative action' policies giving preferential treatment to minorities in university admissions and corporate hiring are unconstitutional, and with Trump’s return to the White House. Among government agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) closed its DEI office last month, and major corporations such as Meta Platforms, Amazon, and McDonald's are also moving to dismantle their DEI policies.

The fact that CEO Musk, a key figure in the next administration wielding the power to cut federal spending, is known as a DEI critic also strengthens the feasibility of the WILL report. Previously, Musk criticized the Los Angeles (LA) fire department, which has been struggling to combat wildfires, for collecting racial and gender statistics of its staff to verify organizational diversity, saying, "They prioritized DEI over saving lives and homes. DEI means people die."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.