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Human Rights Campaign to lay off 20% of staff as LGBTQ+ organization restructures

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The Human Rights Campaign is set to lay off approximately 20 percent of its workforce in a major restructuring effort in what the group’s leadership said is to adapt to the evolving political and financial landscape, The Advocate has exclusively learned.

According to a senior HRC official knowledgeable about the decision-making process, the layoffs, which will take effect on February 12, will impact about 50 employees. By the start of its next fiscal year on April 1, HRC expects to have around 180 staff members. Another senior official said that the decision reflects a need to “operate differently” in response to external political and legislative threats to the LGBTQ+ community and internal budget realities.

HRC views current programming as unsustainable

In recent years, HRC has experienced significant fundraising success, with revenues exceeding expectations, the group said. In fiscal year 2023, a representative said, the organization budgeted to raise $63 million but ultimately brought in $85 million. Since 2017, the person added that HRC has exceeded its fundraising goals. However, the decision to reinvest those surpluses into expanded programming and operating costs has created a financial model that leadership now sees as unsustainable.

According to available financial reports and IRS form 990s, which The Advocatereviewed, HRC’s total revenue in fiscal year 2024 was approximately $75 million, a decrease from the previous year’s $85 million. The organization’s total expenses for the year stood at nearly $89 million, exceeding its revenue and contributing to a net asset decline of over $12 million. As of March 31, 2024, the organization’s net assets totaled $45.7 million, down from $58 million in 2023. HRC’s combined revenue between its main organization and foundation remains over $70 million, according to the official, but leadership determined that current spending levels could not be maintained without restructuring.

The organization’s board has directed its president Kelley Robinson, who has led the organization since 2022, to ensure a balanced budget in response to the shifting financial and political landscape. “The board has charged Kelly with ensuring a balanced budget in the face of a new environment that requires a reset as we ready ourselves for the challenges ahead,” an official explained.

They added, “To avoid layoffs, we explored a range of cost-saving measures, from attrition to aggressively pushing revenue and evaluating program expenses, but ultimately, both strategic and budget reasons” led us to this restructuring.

While the decision is not tied to one factor, HRC officials acknowledged the increasingly hostile political climate as one reason for the shift. “Given the threats ahead of us, any LGBTQ organization or progressive organization that’s not seriously evaluating their strategies and structures is missing the reality of the threats in front of us,” one official said, citing the weaponization of state and federal governments against LGBTQ+ rights, as well as institutions making decisions out of fear that could impact HRC’s work.

In an interview with The Advocate, Robinson acknowledged the gravity of letting employees go but emphasized that HRC’s mission remains unwavering. “Our success has never been determined by the number of staff we have but by the impact that we make in the world,” she said. “We need to stay laser-focused on how we can create change.”

Robinson emphasized that the financial realities coincide with unprecedented challenges to LGBTQ+ rights nationwide. “If I look over the course of the last several years, I think that what we’ve seen is historic challenges to our progress: from 2022, where we saw that spike in anti-LGBTQ legislation, to 2023, when we declared the state of emergency, to this year and last year as we see challenges not only at the state level, challenging electoral outcomes and also historical softening in institutions out of fear from maintaining the progress that we’ve had on our issues,” Robinson told The Advocate. “So as we look at the environment, we realize that things were changing. And for me, I think that any responsible organization right now needs to be thinking about what changes have to be made to address the world as it is today.”

“We’re sharpening our focus…,” says Kelly Robinson

The restructuring will allow HRC to focus on areas where it believes it can have the most significant impact: schools, workplaces, policies, and politics. “We’re sharpening our focus on where we can make the most impact,” Robinson said. “This is about ensuring that we are agile and strategic in this moment.”

Robinson dismissed concerns that the layoffs could weaken HRC’s influence. 

“If it’s our opposition asking that question, I think they do that at their own peril,” she said. “The best thing about being a queer person is that we have a history and a legacy of confronting impossible challenges and coming out the other side.”

Despite the growing conservative backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Robinson said HRC is committed to continuing to engage corporations. Recently, companies like Walmart, McDonald’s, Tractor Supply Co., and others have announced they will no longer report corporate information about their workplace culture to HRC. 

However, Robinson highlighted that HRC’s Corporate Equality Index saw participation from over 1,400 businesses last year. “We just had our Corporate Equality 100 awards in New York, where 600 corporate partners came together to celebrate getting a perfect score,” she said. “There’s still so much allyship and work to be done.”

HRC officials said schools and workplaces will be a primary area of emphasis, ensuring LGBTQ+ people have protections and resources in their daily lives. Policy and politics will also remain central, focusing on defending against harmful legislation while advancing state and federal protections. Additionally, HRC says it is committed to reshaping the national conversation around LGBTQ+ issues by countering anti-LGBTQ+ disinformation and amplifying voices that represent the realities of the community.

“We’re not just responding to threats—we’re transforming them into opportunities for lasting impact,” a senior official said. “This reset is really about strengthening our ability to win on these critical fights and keep our focus where we have the ability to make the most impact.”

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HRC has been a unionized workplace for over 25 years, with employees represented by the Service Employees International Union. The organization notified the union about the impending layoffs and will engage in discussions before finalizing the details.

“We’ve been a proud union shop, and we are providing this time for meaningful discussion with the union, which is a regular part of our process,” an official said.

HRC held an all-staff meeting Tuesday morning to notify employees of the change.

When asked about severance and transition assistance for affected employees, Robinson acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. 

“This is the hardest part,” Robinson said. “We have some of the most dedicated and tenacious staff I’ve had the opportunity to work with.” 

She emphasized that HRC is working closely with its union to ensure that affected employees are treated with dignity and respect. “We are in active conversations with our union to make sure that we are honoring those discussions,” she said.

Representatives for SEIU did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.

Despite the staffing reduction, HRC insists that its core mission remains unchanged. “We aren’t going anywhere,” a senior official said. “This is about responsible leadership and positioning ourselves to be in a place of strength for our people—not just today, but in the years ahead.”

HRC also affirmed that its major events, such as the National Dinner and regional fundraising galas, will continue. “Convening community is critical toward building power and strength,” the official said, adding that while there may be some shifts in programming, supporters should not expect a dimming of the lights.

What comes next for the Human Rights Campaign in this new political reality?

HRC leadership said the organization also plans to rethink how it communicates about LGBTQ+ issues, particularly in the face of mounting disinformation.

“We need to make sure that the American people understand that trans people aren’t a thought exercise—that we are in every zip code, every family, every race and region, and we are not going anywhere,” the official said. “But we also need to be strategic about how we amplify these voices in a way that shifts the national conversation.”

HRC is developing new storytelling initiatives to highlight the real-life impacts of anti-LGBTQ+ policies. The effort will include media training for advocates and elevating diverse voices like Daniel Trujillo, a Latino transgender 17-year-old advocate, Emily Shilling, a U.S. Navy commander who has spoken out against anti-trans military bans, and Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who has provided moral clarity on LGBTQ+ rights from a religious vantage point—most notably when she confronted President Donald Trump about his anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant policies at the National Prayer Service following his January 20 inauguration. HRC will also engage with allied leaders like Stacey Abrams and partner organizations like the National Urban League.

As the LGBTQ+ community faces unprecedented political attacks, HRC says this restructuring is designed to ensure the organization remains a powerful and effective advocate for years to come.

Robinson, who is pregnant and expecting in the spring, also addressed her upcoming maternity leave, assuring that she has a strong leadership team in place to maintain the organization’s momentum. 

“A movement is bigger than any single person,” she said. “I am proud to have a great chief of staff, a great chief operating officer, and an incredible team here at the Human Rights Campaign that, even while I’m on maternity leave, will be helping to move things forward.”

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Government agencies scrub LGBTQ web pages and remove info about trans and intersex people

The websites of several government agencies are lopping off the back half of the LGBTQI abbreviation or completely removing web pages that mention the LGBTQ community.Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty Images

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people have long been grouped together and referred to more broadly as LGBTQ or a similar abbreviation, like LGBTQI, which includes intersex people. Now, however — just two weeks after President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting trans people — the websites of several government agencies are lopping off the back half of the abbreviation or completely removing web pages that mention LGBTQ people.

A page on the State Department’s website that had, up until last week, provided information for “LGBTQI Travelers” now addresses only “LGB Travelers.”Similarly, a State Department web page providing “Resources for LGBTQI+ Prospective Adoptive Parents“ now just says “LGB Prospective Adoptive Parents.”

The website of the Social Security Administration, an independent federal agency, formerly had a page about “Social Security for LGBTQI+ People”; it has now been updated to “LGBQ People,” removing the mention of transgender people and those who are intersex, meaning those who are born with physical traits that don’t fit typical definitions for male or female categories.

A page on the State Department’s website that had, up until last week, provided information for “LGBTQI Travelers” now addresses only “LGB Travelers.”
A page on the State Department’s website that had, up until last week, provided information for “LGBTQI Travelers” now addresses only “LGB Travelers.” U.S. Department of State

More common, however, are examples of web pages mentioning LGBTQ people that have been completely removed. The removed content includes a web page about tobacco use among LGBTQ people on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, information about an LGBTQ+ working group at the Justice Department, a page dedicated to the Commerce Department’s LGBTQ programand resources about avoiding sexual orientation discrimination on the website of the Labor Department. 

The CDC also removed its Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which monitors health behaviors of students nationwide and included some of the only federal data on LGBTQ youth. The top of the web page for the survey results reads, “CDC’s website is being modified to comply with President Trump’s Executive Orders.” 

Trump signed a variety of executive orders targeting transgender rights and “gender ideology,” including an executive order declaring that the United States will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that they are assigned at birth and unchangeable. The order directs federal agencies to remove “all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology,” which the order says “replaces the biological category of sex with an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity, permitting the false claim that males can identify as and thus become women and vice versa, and requiring all institutions of society to regard this false claim as true.” The order argues that “ideologues who deny the biological reality of sex” harm women “by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being.”

When the White House was asked for comment on the changes to and the removal of web pages mentioning the LGBTQ community, a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management shared a memorandum directing all federal agencies last week to implement Trump’s “gender ideology” order. The memorandum directed agencies to “Take down all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) that inculcate or promote gender ideology” by 5 p.m. Friday.

In a statement the day after Trump signed the order and shortly after LGBTQ-related information started to be removed from the White House website, the LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD accused Trump of censorship.

“President Trump claims to be a strong proponent of freedom of speech, yet he is clearly committed to censorship of any information containing or related to LGBTQ Americans and issues that we face,” CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “This action proves the Trump administration’s goal of making it as difficult as possible for LGBTQ Americans to find federal resources or otherwise see ourselves reflected under his presidency. Sadly for him, our community is more visible than ever; and this pathetic attempt to diminish and remove us will again prove unsuccessful.”

Trump has also signed executive orders barring trans people from enlisting and serving in the military and prohibiting federal funding from going toward transition-related care for minors or to schools that “promote gender ideology.”

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Donald Trump got LGBTQ+ business group’s event banned from federal building

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The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce has said it may sue the Trump administration after the chamber was forced to relocate its annual event at the Federal Reserve Bank of Houston last week because of Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The chamber said the executive order violated its constitutional rights to free speech.

The chamber had planned on holding its second annual Thrive Small Business Summit & Matchmaker event at the federal bank last Thursday. However, the bank forced the event to relocate fewer than 30 hours before its start, telling the chamber that it could no longer host because of Trump’s order banning the federal government from supporting any activities supportive of DEI, Advocatereported. Trump’s order didn’t specifically define what constitutes a DEI initiative.

“Our operating understanding was that the Thrive event was permissible because of its business and economic development focus,” the bank’s email to the chamber’s leadership read. “Unfortunately, this evening, we learned that we could not host the event and remain in compliance with the executive order. We deeply regret having to make this change.”

The event relocated to the Hilton Garden Inn/Home 2 Suites Medical Center. There, over 130 small business owners, support organizations, LGBTQ+ employee resource groups, and supplier diversity professionals attended panels, breakout sessions, and a “matchmaker” event to connect with one another, the aforementioned publication noted.

But now that the event has concluded, the chamber’s cofounder, president, and CEO Tammi Wallace has said that her organization may sue the Trump administration for violating her group’s First Amendment rights to free speech.

Her group could be one of several LGBTQ+ groups to sue Trump over his DEI order in the coming months. Lambda Legal and other pro-LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center condemned his order and have suggested possible litigation over it.

Trump’s anti-DEI orders “share many of the same flaws as the executive order we enjoined last time around,” Camilla Taylor, deputy legal director for litigation at Lambda Legal, told Bloomberg Law. Lambda Legal represented several groups that challenged Trump’s 2020 anti-DEI orders. Lambda Legal said that Trump’s latest order attempts to ban DEI “without defining it, imposing a sort of Orwellian trolling on anyone who takes any steps to address bias.”

Wallace helped co-found the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce in 2016 after not seeing LGBTQ+ businesses represented in the city’s landscape, she told Advocate. Since then, her organization has affiliated itself with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and is the fourth such chamber in Texas; the others being in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio.

“These executive orders are hurting diverse communities,” Wallace told the aforementioned publication. “It brings up the trauma and pain we experience as a community, just because of who we are and who we love.”

“We are part of the fabric of the community,” she added. “When diverse business owners succeed, we all succeed, and our economy wins.”

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NPR and PBS first target in MTG’s DOGE crosshairs

Politico reports:

The new House subcommittee designed to complement the work of Elon Musk has named its first target: the nonprofit news media. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s “Delivering on Government Efficiency” Subcommittee — or DOGE, mimicking its Musk-run analogue, the Department of Government Efficiency — is asking the leaders of PBS and NPR to testify next month.

DOGE Subcommittee Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene  put out the request to the executives in a letter Monday morning, specifying a preference for the weeks of March 3 or March 24. In her letter to PBS CEO Paula Kerger, Greene pointed to PBS reporting last month saying Musk “gave what appeared to be a fascist salute” at Trump’s inauguration celebration — a characterization that Greene alleges “was clearly false.”

Read the full article. On Friday, Trump’s FCC chairman Brendan Carr ordered investigations into NPR and PBS. That move came just two days after Carr revived complaints against the flagship broadcast stations of ABC, CBS, and NBC.  The cult is pouring into the viral tweet below with celebrations.

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Federal Agency, Former Champion for Intellectual Freedom, Parrots Book Ban Misinformation

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Living up to President Trump’s campaign promise to upend education, the endangered U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced last week the dismissal of 11 complaints and six pending cases filed against school book bans as “meritless claim[s] premised upon a dubious legal theory.”

Additionally, OCR fired book ban coordinator Matt Nosanchuk and eliminated the Biden Administration-created role. Nosanchuk was hired in 2023 to address intellectual freedom violations in schools and federally-funded institutions.

In a press release calling book bans a “hoax,” OCR noted that in reviewing pending cases, attorneys alleged that no book bans had taken place. Rather, “school districts, in consultation with parents and community stakeholders, have established commonsense processes by which to evaluate and remove age-inappropriate materials.” Deeming it “a question of parental and community judgment, not civil rights” the agency absolved themselves of any responsibility.

A second release reads like the blurb on the back of a bestselling book, with cherry-picked quotes from the New York Times, the National Review and two conservative-aligned organizations.

“The Department of Education has terminated President Biden’s program to investigate so-called ‘book bans,’” said Christopher Rufo, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a right-leaning think tank who first came to fame targeting “critical race theory” (which was never actually taught) and criticizing the teaching of accurate history about slavery and racism. “The Trump Administration understands that restricting pornography in elementary schools is not a ‘book ban’ – it’s common sense.”

Actual librarians and anti-censorship advocates took notice, and issued a correction.

“Book bans are real,” the ALA said in a statement. “Ask students who cannot access literary classics required for college or parents whose children can’t check out a book about gay penguins at their school library. Ask school librarians who have lost their jobs for protecting the freedom to read. While a parent has the right to guide their own children’s reading, their beliefs and prejudices should not dictate what another parent chooses for their own children.

“The new administration is not above the U.S. Constitution.”

PEN America, which recorded just over 10,000 instances of book bans in public schools across the country during the 2023-24 school year, also issued a statement debunking OCR’s claims. “For more than three years we have countered the rhetoric that book bans occurring in public schools across this country are a ‘hoax,’” said Kasey Meehan, PEN America’s freedom to read director. She added that the organization has logged nearly 16,000 book ban cases since 2021. “These bans most often happen when ‘commonsense processes’ are ignored and state legislation is imposed to restrict students’ right to read and learn.”

We’ve been here before – several times over. Tiffany Justice, co-founder of the extremist Moms for Liberty so-called “parental rights” group, disingenuously claimed, “No one is looking to ban books. Moms for Liberty certainly isn’t.” According to a 2023 PEN America report, Moms for Liberty “is connected to 58% … of all advocacy-led book bans around the country.” The organization is also connected with BookLook and BookLooks, ratings sites that feature out-of-context passages from books. Activists use their reports to draw anger and promote censorship.

In Florida, which recently received its lowest middle school reading scores in 25 years, Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly tried to downplay book bans. “Exposing the ‘book ban’ hoax is important because it reveals that some are attempting to use our schools for indoctrination,” he said in a 2023 press release (regurgitatedin 2024) that tried to whitewash Florida’s outsize role in creating a book ban model that has been emulated by several other states. DeSantis’ claims were quickly discredited by PEN America.

“Americans must reject threats to our right to read and believe as we wish and demand well-resourced libraries in every institution of learning,” the ALA advised. “Now is the time for all Americans to show up for our libraries. Show up and use our libraries. Show up at library and school board meetings to support students’ access to diverse reading materials. Show up when elected leaders are deciding the fate of facts and the freedom to read.”

GLAAD’s Book Bans – A Guide to Community Response toolkit includes resources, templates, and messaging guides and organizing strategies to defend the right to read for every vulnerable reader, and defeat attempts to rewrite history.

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Olympia becomes Washington’s first sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ people

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Olympia is officially the first sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ people in Washington state. 

The city council voted unanimously at a meeting on Tuesday to declare the state capital a sanctuary for the queer community, specifically outlining protections for transgender people and gender-affirming care. The resolution, introduced by Assistant City Manager Stacey Ray, mandates equal and dignified treatment under the law regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

“Declaring Olympia a sanctuary city means recognizing the inherent worth and equal rights of LGBTQIA2S+ people, and demonstrating a commitment to protecting and advocating for individuals by rejecting policies and actions that promote discrimination, harm and inequity,” Ray said at the meeting, via The Olympian. 

While Washington already had in place a “shield” or “refuge” law protecting access to gender-affirming care — HB1469, passed in 2023 — the city ordinance will specifically ensure local resources are not used to aid law enforcement from other jurisdictions in their attempts to prosecute the families of minors receiving gender-affirming care, as well as their healthcare providers.

The resolution also prohibits the city from sharing information about an individual’s sex, gender assigned at birth, or health care with other jurisdictions. It states that the city will oppose legislation or investigations from state or federal governments that threaten the safety or dignity of LGBTQ+ people. 

Mayor Dontae Payne said at the meeting that he was initially hesitant to declare the city a sanctuary for any community, but that he was moved by members of the LGBTQ+ community who turned out to speak in favor of the resolution.

“To our community members who showed up, who came here, putting themselves on the line openly in a public meeting, requesting that the council declare Olympia a sanctuary city is something that I will always remember and something that I’m so grateful to all of you for,” Payne said.

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Federal agencies bar Black History Month and other ‘special observances’ including Pride

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Federal agencies on Friday rushed to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at curtailing diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The executive orders prompted a flurry of memos and emails obtained by NBC News that modified the rules for staff at intelligence agencies, in the military and across civilian departments regarding employee resource groups and the celebration of cultural awareness events.

This week, the Defense Intelligence Agency ordered a pause of all activities and events related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other “special observances” to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order, according to a memo obtained by NBC News.

The memo listed 11 observances that are now banned. It also said that all affinity groups and “employee networking groups” are immediately on pause.

The directive comes as the Trump administration has made it a top priority to go after any programs perceived to be related to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the federal government.

When asked about the rationale for the DIA memo, a spokesperson said that agency “is working with the Department of Defense to fully implement all Executive Orders and Administration guidance in a timely manner.”

We’re looking to hear from federal government workers. If your agency has received a memo like this, please email us at tips@nbcuni.com or contact us through one of these methods.

Other U.S. intelligence agencies are also working to eliminate or suspend any activities that could be interpreted as supporting past DEI policies, multiple current and former officials said. The agencies are still trying to determine what activities or events will be prohibited, but officials are erring on the side of caution rather than risk failing to comply with the administration’s orders, the sources said.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the country’s intelligence services, recently issued written guidance to employees saying that DEI-related boards and working groups have been “curtailed” and that no official work time or work spaces should be used for DEI-related activities, according an excerpt from a memo obtained by NBC News. Future travel related to these activities also has been cancelled, the memo stated.

Pentagon leaders on Friday received a similar email mandating that, effective immediately, they may no longer dedicate official resources, including man-hours, to cultural awareness months.

Service members and civilians will still be permitted to attend these events in an unofficial capacity and outside of duty hours, the memo added.

As for the Central Intelligence Agency, a spokesperson said the agency is carrying out the executive order on scrapping DEI programs.

“CIA is complying with the Executive Order. We are laser-focused on our foreign intelligence mission,” a spokesperson said in an email.

Former intelligence officials said there was a risk that the administration’s moves to eliminate events marking Martin Luther King Day, the Holocaust or Americans’ ethnic heritage could prove counterproductive and discourage potential recruits from joining the intelligence services.

The CIA and other spy agencies for decades have sought to hire from a more diverse pool of talent to ensure the country has intelligence officers with language skills and cultural backgrounds that help improve intelligence gathering abroad.

“From an intelligence community perspective, I really think it could hurt our ability to do our job,” the former senior official said.

“We’re going to strangle off talent pipelines that were already narrow to begin with. And that’s going to deprive our intelligence community and our national security establishment of critical knowledge, talent, skills, language … that might be valuable in trying to get somebody into a foreign country,” the former official added.

On Friday afternoon, the Office of Personnel Management sent around a memo, obtained by NBC News, ordering that all references to “gender ideology” be removed by 5 p.m. across the federal government.

The memo stated that this includes removing references from all public-facing websites and social media accounts, and specifically ordered the removal of Outlook prompts that directed staff to write out their pronouns.

In line with that new memo, State Department employees have also been instructed to remove all gender-identifying pronouns from their email signatures by 5 p.m. Friday.

“The Department of State is reviewing all agency programs, contracts, and grants that promote or inculcate gender ideology, and we are removing outward facing media that does the same,” the new Under Secretary for Management Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy wrote in an email — whose subject line was “Defending Women” — reviewed by NBC News. “Bureaus have already been alerted to review trainings, forms, and plans that involve gender ideology.”

Last week, the Justice Department sent a memo to staff announcing the closure of all of its DEI programs, saying, “These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”

The Pentagon memo on Friday barring the use of official resources for cultural awareness months echoed the same language, stating that “efforts to divide the force — to put one group ahead of another — erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution.”

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that outlined “the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government.”

A similar email went out from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week, notifying employees that all affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, were “being disbanded and special observances are being canceled.”

Employee resource groups (ERGs), which exist in both the public and private sectors, are voluntary, employee-led groups for people with similar backgrounds or life experiences. Common groups include ones for Native Americans, LGBTQ people, Black employees, women and veterans, among others.

Other agencies have also ended their ERGs, including DOJ Pride, the Justice Department’s LGBTQ employee resource group that has been around for 30 years.

During a press briefing Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to a question from NBC News about whether Trump plans to keep with tradition and sign a proclamation about Black History Month ahead of its start on Saturday.

“The president looks forward to signing a proclamation celebrating Black History Month. I actually spoke with our great staff secretary. It’s in the works of being approved, and it’s going to be ready for the president’s signature to signify the beginning of that tomorrow,” Leavitt said.

Trump later signed the proclamation.

“I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities,” he wrote, calling it “an occasion to celebrate the contributions of so many black American patriots who have indelibly shaped our Nation’s history.”

Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday just four years ago, during the Biden administration. Also known as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day and Jubilee Day, the holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.

It was the first federal holiday created since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established.

Andrea M. O’Neal, a former White House official who helped drive federal policies and observances behind Black History Month under President Joe Biden, said observances allow for full acknowledgement of American history.

O’Neal also said they help raise awareness about what communities are experiencing that may have a direct impact on how the federal government can help better serve them.

“This kind of rollback is demoralizing to communities who finally had a seat at the table [and] were finally acknowledged for their contributions,” O’Neal said.

“When presidents and governments decide who’s important [and] who’s not, that has downstream effects that we may not fully understand yet,” O’Neal said, adding that the changes implemented from the executive order will make people feel less comfortable at work and cause them to have lower morale, she added.

Troy Blackwell, who worked for the Department of Commerce in the Biden administration, said a big piece of DEI involves making policies and resources accessible for underserved communities.

In his final year working for the Department of Commerce, Blackwell and his team opened patent and trademark resource libraries at Hispanic-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities.

“I’m heartbroken to be honest,” Blackwell said. “It’s despicable what’s happening and I think it’s definitely a sign of government overreach.”

“We celebrate Black History Month knowing that there’s been a history of enslavement and Jim Crow and civil rights and what that has done to the fabric of the United States and the contributions of African Americans who have been overlooked for not decades, but centuries,” added Blackwell, who is Afro-Latino. “The literal White House that the president sits in and his team works in was built by slaves.”

Trump’s inauguration happened to fall on MLK Day this year.

In a speech following his swearing-in ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, Trump acknowledged the historical significance of the holiday and spoke directly to the Black and Hispanic voters who cast a ballot for him last year.

“To the Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with your vote,” he said, adding: “Today is Martin Luther King Day. And his honor — this will be a great honor. But in his honor, we will strive together to make his dream a reality. We will make his dream come true.”

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Cabinet Confirmation Hearings Largely Ignore LGBTQ Issues Despite Disparate Impact of Agency Policy on LGBTQ People

The Senate confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump’s nominees began January 14, 2025. Despite the critical roles these nominees, if confirmed, will play in shaping national policy, the hearings notably lack substantive questioning or responses regarding the safety and equality of LGBTQ people, even as President Trump has taken high interest in targeting the community via executive order.

The first Trump administration was marked by the greatest number of anti-LGBTQ actions ever undertaken by a U.S. president. Many of his nominees have records that reveal action and antipathy against LGBTQ Americans.

One of the most contentious hearings so far was for the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., known for his activism against vaccines. Kennedy’s anti-medicine, anti-science, anti-equality views include unproven, baseless claims that COVID-19 was designed to target Black people and evade Chinese people and Ashkenazi Jewish people. In the hourslong hearing, senators missed a chance to question Kennedy’s other outrageously false and baseless beliefs and harmful rhetoric, including:

  • Spreading disinformation about transgender health care and referring to medications inaccurately as “castration drugs,” which is as inflammatory as it is inaccurate. Decades of medical research and consensus confirm the safety and necessity of these treatments that reduce self-harm and improve mental health.
  • Rejecting HIV science and promoting AIDS denialism: Kennedy has openly questioned the well-established link between HIV and AIDS. Undermining scientific and medical advances and research risks all progress made to eliminate the stigma that fuels HIV and the global goal to end the epidemic by 2030.
  • Propagating baseless claims about vaccines: As founder of Children’s Health Defense, Kennedy’s campaigns against vaccines threaten public trust in critical immunizations like HPV (the virus that causes cervical cancer) and Mpox vaccines, especially vital to LGBTQ people and their health.

Additional hearings have included unfounded and outright inaccurate claims to support President Trump’s obsession with diversity, equity, and inclusion, even as the majority of his nominees have little experience, merit, or qualifications for their roles, but do have allegiance to President Trump and appear on his favorite television programs.

The Senate committees’ are also led by all white, all male chairmen from the Republican party, which regained the majority in the 2024 election.

Marco Rubio—Secretary of State—CONFIRMED

During the confirmation hearing in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, LGBTQ issues were only tangentially mentioned. The hearing primarily focused on foreign policy challenges, including Rubio’s stance on China, which he described as a “potent and dangerous” adversary. However, when Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) brought up the topic of LGBTQ curriculum, Rubio suggested that it “probably has not helped” in relations with China.

Rubio’s hearing also touched on broader cultural and ideological issues within the State Department. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) emphasized the need to end what he perceived as the prioritization of “progressive ideology” and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, suggesting these had undermined morale and distracted from the mission. 

Rubio’s confirmation as Secretary of State was unanimous, with a 99-0 vote, marking him as the first Latino to hold the position. 

Pete Hegseth—Secretary of Defense—CONFIRMED

The Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said in his opening remarks: “Our military is more diverse than it has ever been, but more importantly, it is more lethal than it has ever been. This is not a coincidence. Mr. Hegseth, I hope you will explain why you believe such diversity is making the military weak, and how you propose to undo that without undermining military leadership and harming readiness, recruitment, and retention.”

In the questionnaire submitted by Hegseth prior to the start of the committee, Hegseth was asked:  

Q: Since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) in 2010, gay and lesbian members of the Armed Forces have served in the United States military without having to conceal or lie about their sexual orientation. According to RAND, approximately 6 percent of the force identify as gay or lesbian. Successive chiefs of service in administrations of both political parties have noted that repeal of DADT did not create any significant challenges opponents foresaw. Do you believe repeal of DADT has created challenges for the military? If yes, please provide a detailed explanation. 

Hegseth’s written answer didn’t directly answer the question: “I personally knew soldiers impacted by the repeal and I was unconcerned by the policy change…. Military service should be open to all Americans who can meet its high standards and maintain readiness.”

This is not a reflection of Hegseth’s views. He has advocated for no women in the military and he supported Trump’s transgender military ban. Hegseth previously said without basis that, “Transgender soldiers are ‘not deployable’ because they are ‘reliant on chemicals’ and suggested that women should not serve in certain combat roles.” There is no evidence to support this.

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) challenged his evasion and comments denigrating women soldiers saying, ““Please explain these types of statements because they are brutal and they are mean and they disrespect men and women who are willing to die for this country.… Women you have denigrated. You have also denigrated members of the LGBTQ community. Did you know that when “don’t ask, don’t tell” was in place we lost so many crucial personnel, over a thousand in mission critical areas. We lost 10% of all our foreign language speakers because of a political policy. You said in your statement you don’t want politics in the DOD but everything you said in these public statements is politics.” 

CNN reports that In Hegseth’s 2024 book The War on Warriors and while promoting the book, Hegseth “described both the original ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy and its repeal in 2011 as a ‘gateway’ and a ‘camouflage’ for broader cultural changes that he claims have undermined military cohesion and effectiveness.”

John Ratcliffe—CIA Director—CONFIRMED

U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) noted in his opening remarks that Pres-elect Trump had not formally delivered Ratcliffe’s nomination to the committee before his confirmation hearing. Ratcliffe’s history includes defending President Trump during his first impeachment when Ratcliffe was a member of Congress from Texas.

Ratcliffe’s LGBTQ record is documented here.

Cotton claimed CIA intelligence gathering, analysis and priorities had become too bureaucratic and politicized, yet went on to claim its work became too aligned with the Biden administration’s views: “The CIA’s misplaced priorities have led to too many reports on matters like the prospects for gay rights legislation in Africa, or climate change. These topics may have their place in government, but it’s not at the CIA. And I certainly hope to never again see another video, statement, or social media post, from the CIA about diversity, or equity, or inclusion.” Cotton’s LGBTQ record includes the claim that LGBTQ people in the U.S. should “get perspective” about a restrictive religious exemption bill in Indiana for its potential to discriminate because in Iran, “they hang you” for being gay. He also cosponsored a bill to ban transgender students from sports participation.

Understanding the environment for LGBTQ people worldwide is essential for understanding a country’s propensity for violence and peace overall, measurements that reputable intelligence agencies recognize. International human rights groups have noted the connection between rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment and incidents as a ploy to scapegoat the community and distract from other anti-democratic violence. “The most extreme example is Russia, where we’ve seen the criminalization of the LGBTI movement, as a move to distract from other problems around the rule of law, democracy, the war on Ukraine,” a report by ILGA-Europe stated.

Ratcliffe noted in his opening statement: “We will collect intelligence—especially human intelligence—in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult. We will produce insightful, objective, all-source analysis, never allowing political or personal biases to cloud our judgement or infect our products…I am committed to protecting and supporting the CIA’s workforce. We will fully investigate workforce health and wellness issues, including Anomalous Health Incidents. Our officers must embrace a culture of toughness and resilience.”

6.1% of the U.S. military identify as LGBTQ, according to a study. A CIA document from 2014 explains the need for a diverse workforce: “The United States is one of the most diverse nations on earth. Our national heritage is built on the work, ideas and beliefs of people from virtually every national origin, creed and culture. We achieve our greatest accomplishments when we draw on the talents of all parts of our society and bring diverse perspectives to our greatest challenges… Patriotism has no barriers; it is not based in gender, ethnicity, ability, religion or sexual orientation.”

Ratcliffe was confirmed by a 75-24 vote.

Kristi Noem—Secretary of Homeland Security—CONFIRMED

The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing regarding the confirmation of Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The hearing focused on immigration, border security, cyber security, and the threat of international and domestic terrorism. In discussing these critical national security questions, the committee failed to address the real concerns of violence and harassment facing marginalized groups in America, especially LGBTQ Americans. 

While Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) did question Noem on her position regarding hate crimes, he did not mention the need to protect LGBTQ people. Sen. Blumenthal directly mentioned the need to protect Muslim, Jewish, and BIPOC Americans. In another round of questioning, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) took the opportunity to make anti-trans remarks about “sex change operations on illegals,” denigrating the importance and life-saving nature of healthcare for transgender people, the legality of providing health care for anyone held in custody, as well as dehumanizing immigrants.

Noem’s LGBTQ record of policies supported as governor and rhetoric is documented here. She was confirmed by the full Senate, 59-34.

Scott Bessent—Secretary of the Treasury—CONFIRMED

The only out gay candidate among Trump’s nominees is Scott Bessent who testified before the Senate Committee on Finance. Bessent said, “In 1979 I wanted to fight for my country… I wanted to attend the US Naval Academy.” Scott Bessent describes not being able to accept an appointment to the US Naval Academy because of his “sexual preference.” He continued, “I wanted to join the foreign service and was also told, ‘Not welcome.’” I sit here knowing that president Trump chose me because I’m the best candidate. It’s a tribute to President Trump that he looks at people as people.”

In fact, Trump has nothing to do with expanded rights for LGBTQ people. His administration was historic in enacting the most anti-LGBTQ policies of any presidential administration. Trump’s administration enacted policies that directly targeted LGBTQ rights. Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military and the rollback of protections for LGBTQ employees in federal contracting reflect a broader trend of discrimination against the community during Trump’s tenure. It is false that he “looks at people as people.”

Pam Bondi—Attorney General

The U.S. Senate Democratic Whip and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), said in his opening remarks: “At issue I believe in this nomination hearing is not your competence nor your experience. At issue is your ability to say no. More than any other cabinet official, the Attorney General has to be prepared to put the Constitution first and even tell the President of the United States you are wrong.… To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal result of the 2020 election. Are you prepared to say today under oath without reservation that Donald Trump lost the Presidential contest to Joe Biden In 2020?”

In her response, Bondi never acknowledged that Biden won the election. She said, “You know, Senator, all I can tell you as a prosecutor is from my firsthand experience. I accept the results. I accept, of course, that Joe Biden is President of the United States.” 

When California Sen. Adam Schiff inquired if she would defend the marriages of LGBTQ couples, Bondi responded by stating that she would “respect the law” on marriage equality. In fact, as Florida’s attorney general Bondi was critical of LGBTQ rights, and defended a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Florida, even after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled similar federal laws unconstitutional. 

Russell Vought—Nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Doug Burgum—Secretary of the Interior

The hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee remained focused on the U.S.’s role in international energy production, debates over carbon emissions, and the proper use of federal lands. While these issues are of critical importance, the committee missed the opportunity to question Burgum on how he plans to fight climate change, and especially how he plans to counteract the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities like LGBTQ people. Even recently as fires raged through California, we’ve seen anti-equality politicians claiming that the Los Angeles fire chief’s sexual orientation is somehow responsible for these climate disasters, rather than discussing how they can provide environmental resources to vulnerable communities and proactively fend off climate change. 

According to the findings of a report by The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, climate change “exacerbates existing disparities among individuals and communities.” LGBTQ people face discrimination and exclusion, creating unique vulnerabilities that compound and heighten their exposure to climate-related harms.

Lee Zeldin—Environmental Protection Agency Administrator

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) asked great pointed questions particularly about what Project 2025 and Elon Musk have said about cutting 70% of EPA staff (approximately, 12,000 positions) as well as traumatizing staff so they quit. 

Zeldon answered, ”…My job is to increase productivity and efficiency and be accountable to all of you.” 

Markey asked if he intends to follow Project 2025 and eliminate the office of compliance. Zeldon said no. 

Schiff listed all the ways that Zeldin leveraged federal dollars in the Hurricane Sandy recovery and asked if as EPA Admin he’d provide the same support for wildfire recovery in California. Zeldin said, “I will do everything in my power to assist California in wildfire recovery.” 

Elise Stefanik—Ambassador to the United Nations

Stefanik boasted about her work to combat antisemitism in her prepared opening remarks to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: “My oversight work led to the most viewed testimony in the history of Congress. This hearing with university presidents was heard around the world and viewed billions of times. It exposed the antisemitic rot in colleges and universities and was a watershed moment in American education.” Stefanik repeated “antisemitic rot” rhetoric to describe the United Nations’ resolutions against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

Yet when Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) questioned Stefanik about Elon Musk’s Nazi salutes at the Trump inauguration rally, Stefanik defended Musk.

Murphy asked, “What do you think of Elon Musk, the president’s most visible advisor, doing two Heil Hitler salutes last night at the president’s televised rally?”

Stefanik answered, “No, Elon Musk did not do those salutes. I was not at the rally but I can tell you I have been at many rallies with Elon Musk who loves to cheer [raises arms] when the president says we need to send our U.S. space program to Mars… but that is simply not the case, and to say so, is, the American people are smart, they see through it, they support Elon Musk, we are proud to be a country of successful entrepreneurs that is one of our greatest strengths as Americans.” 

Murphy pointed out that right wing anti-semitic commentators believed otherwise noting, “Evan Kilgore, right wing commentator [and Holocaust denier], wrote on X, ‘Holy crap … did Elon Musk just Heil Hitler at the Trump Inauguration Rally in Washington, D.C. … this is incredible, we are so back.’ Andrew Torba, founder of the right wing Christian Nationalist platform GAB: ‘Incredible things are happening’ as he amplified the visual. Proud Boys chapter in Ohio, posted the clip on a Telegram channel with the text ‘Heil Trump.’ White Lives Matter, ‘Thanks for hearing us Elon, the white flame will rise again.’”

“I could keep going.” Murphy continued. “White supremacist groups and neo-Nazi groups rallied around that visual. Does that concern you that those elements believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?”

Stefanik said, “What concerns me is these are the questions you believe are important to ask the UN ambassador. I have a very strong record when it comes to anti-semitism…. I intend to bring moral clarity to this position continuing to condemn anti-semitism at the United Nations.”

Murphy said, “Your work only comes with credibility if it holds both left and right accountable… when it comes to calling out anti-semitic behavior.”

Kash Patel—FBI Director

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Kash Patel’s confirmation as FBI Director centered on his past statements and loyalty to President Trump. Senators scrutinized Patel’s previous calls to prosecute journalists and dismantle the FBI headquarters and turn it into a “museum of the deep state.” Patel faced questions about his pledge to investigate “corrupt actors” in the Justice Department and FBI and on his remarks praising the January 6 rioters and his interactions with QAnon conspiracy theorists. The hearing also addressed concerns about potential political influence on the FBI, given Patel’s close relationship with Trump. The hearing did not delve into Patel’s tenure at the Department of Defense or his role in the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation. The hearing did not include LGBTQ issues except in a question by a senator about Jussie Smollett which included an assertion that the FBI investigation of the actor’s crime hoax set back civil rights.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.—Secretary of Health and Human Services

During two days of testimony, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary nominee, sought to fend off attacks on his long history of vaccine skepticism. Senate Democrats grilled Kennedy on his past statements against vaccines and in support of abortion, causing the nominee to backtrack repeatedly. 

“News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry,” Kennedy said.” I am neither. I am pro-safety. I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, but that didn’t make me anti-fish. All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in health care.”

Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO) confronted Kennedy over previous debunked statements including the baseless assertion that pesticides contribute to gender identity development in children. Kennedy said, “No, I never said that.” In fact, Kennedy has repeatedly spread false conspiracy theories about the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including the false claim about pesticides.

Kennedy also stumbled on questions about Medicaid during an exchange with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), exposing a lack of knowledge about the cost associated with the public health insurance program. Kennedy said Medicaid premiums and deductibles were too high and that most people enrolled in the program were “not happy.” In fact, most Medicaid enrollees don’t pay premiums or deductibles.

While senators did not directly question Kennedy about his views on LGBTQ people, in an exchange with Sen. Josh Hawley, Kennedy offered the following statement about necessary medical care for trans youth: “I do want to add that people who have gender differences should be respected, Kennedy said. “They should be loved. But loving them does not—sometimes love means saying ‘no.’” Kennedy has repeatedly shared unfounded conspiracies that man-made chemicals in the environment could be making children gay or transgender.

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Union official says Education Department employees were placed on leave after taking diversity training during Trump’s first term

Dozens of employees who attended a diversity training course that former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos encouraged during President Donald Trump’s first administration have been placed on paid leave as part of Trump’s targeting of DEI programs, a union official told NBC News.

Sheria Smith, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents hundreds of Education Department employees, said that at least 55 employees had been placed on leave as of Friday evening and that she expected the number to grow as she learns more. 

The affected workers included a public affairs specialist, civil rights attorneys, program manager analysts, loan regulators and employees working to ensure schools accommodate special needs children with individualized education programs.

A letter to the affected employees, obtained by NBC News, said they would continue to receive their full salaries and benefits and would not be required or expected to do any work-related tasks or to come into the office during the leave. It also said their email access would be suspended. 

“It looks like they’re entrapping people, because they encouraged people to take these trainings … and are now maybe using these trainings as a basis to put them on administrative leave,” Smith said.

She added that she is worried that Trump, who has said he wants to eliminate the Education Department, hopes “employees will eliminate themselves.”

“I think it is shock and awe. They’re trying to send us emails that make no sense and are super confusing to intimidate us or to make us run scared so we quit,” she said. 

“They’re trying to make employees feel like they will soon get fired. And at the same time, they are trying to entice employees with an offer to pay them eight months’ salary if they just resigned,” Smith added. “So it seems as if you’re choosing between affirmatively resigning, where they’re saying that you might possibly get paid eight months’ salary and benefits, or eventually getting fired.”

Smith and Brittany Holder, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of Government Employees, believe hundreds of employees attended the Diversity Change Agent trainings. An email shared with NBC News shows the Education Department in 2019 had a goal of training 400 employees under the program. 

In the email shared with NBC News, which was sent during Trump’s first term, a human resources official with the Education Department wrote to encourage employees to take a two-day voluntary course as part of the agency’s “Diversity Change Agent” training in March 2019.  

The email said: “We have 25 seats available for this course. The Department’s strategic and comprehensive approach to equipping staff with skills in leading a diverse workforce includes the Diversity Change Agent Program. Graduates of this course are expected to serve as role models, spending some of their official duty time performing activities designed to improve the Education Department’s capacity to attract and retain a diverse workforce. This effort is essential to sustaining a clear and effective Department-wide program.”

The email also said, “Thank you for helping us move toward achieving the goal of 400 Diversity Change Agents ED-wide. Your positive actions are the catalyst on our journey to achieving ED’s diversity and inclusion objectives.” 

Subodh Chandra, a civil rights lawyer who is representing one of the employees placed on paid leave in the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, said his client was appointed to the employment, engagement and diversity and inclusion council formed during Trump’s first term by his political appointees Kimberly Richey and Kenneth Marcus. Chandra said his client is a West Point graduate, an Army veteran and a former prosecutor who is confused about being placed on leave.

“My client, a veteran, did nothing to violate any executive order. Nor did any of his similarly situated colleagues. He doesn’t even run a ‘DEIA’ project. He was only a member of an inactive committee on which he was appointed by Trump’s own political appointees from the first term,” Chandra said.

Overall, dozens of workers at the departments of Education and Energy who did not specifically work in diversity, equity and inclusion roles have been placed on paid leave as part of Trump’s effort to eliminate DEI initiatives throughout the federal government, according to Smith and Holder. 

Holder said the union believes that there were only two employees in specific DEIA roles at the Education Department and that both of them were placed on leave within days of Trump taking office. Then, Wednesday evening, at least two more employees who attended the diversity training were placed on leave. On Friday evening, dozens of employees who attended the diversity trainings were informed by email that they were being put on leave. 

Holder said separately that at least 14 employees at the Energy Department were put on paid leave as part of Trump’s executive order targeting DEIA programs. She said that only three of the employees had titles specifically related to diversity and inclusion positions and that the others had jobs that included tasks like encouraging veterans to work for the Energy Department, as well as working with employee survey data to make workplaces better. Many of the positions were part of the “culture office,” but most did not work on DEIA programs.

“People are worried they are going to lose their jobs,” Holder said. “People are worried and angry.”

A spokesperson for the Education Department said it was “evaluation staffing in line with the commitment to prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in schools and putting student outcomes above special interests.”

“President Trump was elected to bring about unprecedented reform to the federal civil service to ensure it is merit-based and efficient at serving the interests of the American people,” Madi Biedermann, the deputy assistant secretary for communications, said.

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Trump administration ends Joe Biden’s efforts to fight book bans

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The Department of Education on Friday ended federal efforts to reign in an epidemic of book-banning in local school districts by right-wing groups.

The announcement was made in dismissive, partisan and MAGA-inflected language in a press release titled “U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax.”

“By dismissing these complaints and eliminating the position and authorities of a so-called ‘book ban coordinator,’ the department is beginning the process of restoring the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children’s education,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. “These decisions will no longer be second-guessed by the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.” 

The department announced that it had dismissed 11 book ban complaints and six pending complaints.

The Biden administration appointed a book ban coordinator to the department’s Office of Civil Rights in 2023 to counter the efforts of groups like Moms for Liberty, which targets books featuring LGBTQ+ topics and characters and those addressing race and racism. The groups, amplified online by accounts including LibsofTikTok, have characterized the targeted texts as “obscene” and “racially divisive,” language echoed in the DOE’s announcement.

PEN America, which has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide since 2021, called the DOE’s actions “alarming.”

“For over three years we have countered rhetoric that book bans occurring in public schools are a ‘hoax.’ They are absolutely not,” said Kasey Meehan, director of Freedom to Read at PEN America. “This kind of language from the U.S. Department of Education is alarming and dismissive of the students, educators, librarians, and authors who have firsthand experiences of censorship happening within school libraries and classrooms.”f

The DOE said it had initiated a review of the Office of Civil Rights’ actions and found them to be meritless claims “premised upon a dubious legal theory” that book bans violated students’ civil rights.

“Attorneys quickly confirmed that books are not being ‘banned,’ but that school districts, in consultation with parents and community stakeholders, have established commonsense processes by which to evaluate and remove age-inappropriate materials,” the department claimed.

Book bans have roiled local school boards and districts over the last several years with the rise of groups including Moms for Liberty, which publishes lists of “objectionable” texts then targeted by local chapters.

After passage of an updated and draconian book ban by the Tennessee Legislature in July, a single school district in the state removed over 400 booksfrom school libraries deeming them “appealing to the prurient interest.” 

Those included The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, The Umbrella Academy comic book series by Gerard Way, Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss, and Jodi Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes, which is the most frequently banned book of the 2023-2024 school year, according to PEN America’s latest report.

The book bans sweeping the country have largely targeted books by and about people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, with conservatives attempting to paint titles as “pornographic.” According to a recent report from the Tennessee Equality Project, seven out of nine of the most challenged books in the state have queer themes or were written by an LGBTQ+ author.

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