The FBI has gotten the message after the election of President-elect Donald Trump.
The agency closed its office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in December, the month after the presidential election.
“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the agency said to Fox News.
This month Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn sent a letter to the FBI director claiming that “radical” DEI practices had “endangered” Americans after the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
“While the facts surrounding this unconscionable attack continue to emerge, what we know is deeply troubling: the suspect was in possession of weapons, improvised explosive devices, and an ISIS flag. This horrific incident constitutes a blatant act of terror on the American homeland, and the people of our country deserve to know whether federal law enforcement agencies can sufficiently prevent and respond to such incidents,” she said in her letter.
“To that end, 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,” the senator said.
“Most recently, in a striking example of tone deafness, the New Orleans FBI Field office thought it important to brag on X about how many bracelets its agents had collected. Your decision to prioritize politics, pop culture, or almost anything else over your mission to protect the public has put Americans in harm’s way, and the January 1 terror attack was the inevitable consequence,” she said in her letter.
“Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. 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. Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation,” she said.
On its DEI page, the agency said that it is “committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce. In 2015, the FBI added diversity as one of the organization’s core values.”
“We believe that differences in thought and belief, in race and religion, in orientation, and in ability contribute to more effective decision making, drive innovation, and enhance the employee experience. We know that a more diverse workforce allows us to connect with and maintain the trust of the American people. We also understand we have work to do. We stand committed, as today’s FBI, to fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity,” it said.
Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent and Fox News contributor, said that it was not diversity that she had an issue with but the prioritization of being diverse while allegedly ignoring what is most important.
“I appreciate all forms of diversity. Make no mistake of that. What I do not appreciate is when there is a constant push for social justice weaponization at the FBI whose top priorities are to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” she said.
She said that FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned that threats across and against the nation are “at an all-time high. ‘Flashing red lights,’ as he has stated in congressional testimony. There is no time for clubs, groups, or social agendas that divert time, attention and resources away from the mission of the FBI to protect the American people.”
“DEI is a dangerous distraction,” the Fox News contributor said. “I have no issue in celebrating whatever you would like regarding your heritage or gender or religion. But that should be done on your own time and not with the U.S. taxpayers’ dollars while on official Bureau time.”
“The FBI needs to focus on hiring the best and brightest based solely on meritocracy. Americans deserve the best,” the former special agent added. “The FBI should be focused on being one in fighting crime,” she said, “not various groups and divisions that divide.”
