In an email obtained by Baller Alert, Todd Hunter, the Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), instructed staff to report efforts to conceal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs targeted for termination under new executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump. The orders, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs”, aim to eliminate these initiatives across federal agencies.
The email, sent to VA employees, outlined specific steps to ensure compliance with the orders, emphasizing that all DEI-related offices and contracts should be shut down immediately. It also urged employees to report any instances where descriptions of contracts or job positions were altered to obscure connections to DEI-related work.
“We are taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders,” Hunter stated in the email.
The message claimed these programs “divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination,” echoing the language of Trump’s recent policy shifts. The email encouraged employees to submit any information regarding changes to contracts or positions to a special email address, deiatruth@opm.gov, within ten days, warning that failure to do so could lead to “adverse consequences.”
Hunter also assured employees that there would be no penalties for reporting such instances within the specified time frame.
Trump’s new executive orders represent a significant rollback of diversity-focused initiatives introduced under previous administrations, especially those aimed at addressing systemic inequities in government institutions. Critics argue that such measures are essential to fostering inclusive workplaces, while proponents of Trump’s policy contend that they are wasteful and divisive.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of several federal agencies tasked with implementing the orders. As one of the nation’s largest federal departments, the VA’s compliance is seen as a key indicator of how these changes will unfold across the government.
