Memos from the administration of President Donald Trump, revealed last Friday by the New York Times (NYT), have flagged over 100 words that government agencies should limit or avoid. The Times compiled a full list of the terms from government memos, official and unofficial agency guidances, and other documents.   

The list contains mostly inoffensive phrases and terms, including “black,” “women,” and “political.” The list itself is most likely incomplete, as more agency memos may exist other than the ones already discovered by NYT reporters. It isn’t a complete list, but a common theme among the terms listed is that they all relate to diversity and GOP pain points, such as “clean energy” or “injustice.”

This list highlights words flagged for removal or review in official government documents and public materials, including .gov websites. Not every word in the list has explicitly been banned from government materials, but agency managers have cautiously advised federal agencies to limit or avoid using the words if possible, otherwise they will be slated for contextual review.

The list itself is further proof of the Trump administration’s anti-DEI initiative. The administration argues that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have resulted in people who are unqualified being hired for certain positions in government. 

In early February, many government websites began removing references to transgender and non-binary people in response to Trump’s directive. The U.S. National Park Service removed references to trans people on their webpage for the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, thus purging information from a monument dedicated to an important moment in queer history

The erasure led to protests at the monument. 

While the purges have erased transgender and non-binary people, the recently revealed list of terms indicates that other groups could be targeted in the same manner, including Indigenous Americans, African-Americans, gay people, and even women (regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity).

Despite the suppression, President Trump declares himself a champion of free speech, so much so that Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office titled, “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship,” In which it states “Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society.” The order has largely been understood as providing legal protection to federal employees who exhibit discriminatory behavior.

The Times found a few notable examples of documents being altered to fit the current administration’s agenda. For example, a 2021 Head Start memo — advising the federal program that provides early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to low-income families with children ages 3 through 5 — initially acknowledged the effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on marginalized communities.

The memo previously read: “The last year has brought significant challenges to the Head Start workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disparate impact on under-resourced communities including many of those served by Head Start programs. There has also been heightened attention to racial injustice in our country, which has led to calls for major reforms to address long-standing societal inequities. These are particularly important concerns for Office of Head Start and the Head Start workforce. All staff have been impacted by COVID-19. Further, 60% of Head Start teaching staff are Black, Indigenous and people of color, and 30% have a primary language other than English. As such, OHS is committed to a culture of wellness that includes holistic support for the entire Head Start workforce.”

Now, the memo reads: “The last year has brought significant challenges to the Head Start workforce. All staff have been impacted by COVID-19. As such, OHS is committed to a culture of wellness that includes holistic support for the entire Head Start workforce.”