The Defense Intelligence Agency suspended its observance of several cultural and historical events following President Donald Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. The directive pauses all activities related to special emphasis programs and employee affinity groups within the DIA.
A memo obtained by The Associated Press outlines the decision, halting 11 annual observances. That includes Black History Month, Pride Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and National Hispanic Heritage Month.
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The memo also listed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. However, it states that federal holidays will not be affected.
Intelligence officials are starting to leak to me now too. Here’s a memo Defense Intelligence Agency personnel received instructing them to suspend observances including:
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) January 29, 2025
– Holocaust Remembrance Day
– MLK Day
– Juneteenth pic.twitter.com/wQvGFxVfMD
Implementation varies across federal agencies
While the move aligns with Trump’s broader crackdown on DEI initiatives, a U.S. official confirmed it was an internal DIA decision and does not yet apply across the Pentagon.
Federal agencies have been working to implement the executive order, with some taking broad action due to a lack of clear guidance from the White House. The DIA memo states that employees have been asking about the future of planned events, but for now, all observances are on hold.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a Pentagon-wide task force to ensure DEI programs are eliminated. In an interview with Fox News, he said, “We’re not joking around. DEI is gone.”
Uncertainty surrounds broader military policy
When asked whether Black History Month would still be recognized at the federal level, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration still plans to celebrate contributions from all Americans but did not specify if other agencies might follow the DIA’s lead.
This decision follows similar actions within the military. The Air Force recently removed DEI content from basic training. This move temporarily cut lessons on the Tuskegee Airmen and World War II female pilots. The service later clarified that those historical lessons would remain.
The DIA said it will continue working with the Department of Defense to implement all executive orders. It remains unclear if other military branches or intelligence agencies will take similar action in the coming weeks.
