Trump orders massive DEI content removal from federal sites
President Donald Trump imposes sweeping changes to government websites as thousands of diversity and inclusion related pages go dark.
According to Daily Mail, more than 8,000 federal web pages containing information about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been removed following Trump's executive order demanding termination of programs promoting "gender ideology."
Multiple federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Census Bureau, Food and Drug Administration, Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service, and Department of Veterans Affairs, have modified or taken down content related to LGBTQ care, climate initiatives, and diversity programs.
The changes came after a Friday deadline set by Trump's administration for agencies to comply with new directives.
Federal agencies scramble to meet Trump compliance deadline
The Office of Personnel Management issued a two-page memo earlier in the week instructing all government agency heads to eliminate DEI programs.
Agency websites now display messages indicating content modifications are underway to align with the president's executive orders. Some pages show error messages where information previously existed.
The Census Bureau's website temporarily went completely offline Friday evening. While many pages have since been restored, sections discussing sexual orientation and gender identity remain inaccessible. Other agencies have posted notices explaining the ongoing website changes.
Trump's directive specifically ordered the removal of all "outward facing media" that promotes what he termed "gender ideology." The sweeping changes affect thousands of pages across multiple government domains.
Trump administration targets gender identity policies
Secretary of State Marco Rubio suspended passport applications using gender-neutral "X" markers, reversing a Biden administration policy that had allowed nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming individuals this option. The move aligns with Trump's mandate that federal agencies recognize only binary biological sex categories.
When asked about the widespread removal of DEI content, Trump stated: "It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. DEI would have ruined our country, and now it's dead."
The executive order goes beyond website changes to impact healthcare access. Federal support for certain gender-affirming care will end under the new directives.
Healthcare directives spark immediate controversy
Trump signed an additional executive order aimed at restricting gender-related medical care for individuals under 19 years old. The directive calls for ending federal support of treatments, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures.
Legal experts anticipate court challenges to many aspects of Trump's orders. Civil rights organizations have already begun preparing legal responses to contest the sweeping changes on constitutional grounds. Several advocacy groups expressed concerns about healthcare access being restricted.
The Department of Health and Human Services must now implement new policies limiting what the order describes as "chemical and surgical mutilation of children." Implementation details remain unclear as agencies work to interpret the directives.
Massive digital presence altered in historic shift
Government websites serve as primary information sources for millions of Americans seeking details about federal programs and services. The removal of thousands of pages represents one of the largest coordinated changes to federal web content in recent history.
Many pages display placeholder messages explaining the content is being modified. It remains unclear whether removed information will return in edited form or stay permanently offline. The changes affect everything from healthcare guidance to workplace policies.
Technical teams across agencies are working to implement the required changes while maintaining other essential web services. The scope of content removal has created challenges for maintaining site functionality.
Executive orders reshape federal landscape
Trump's executive orders targeting DEI initiatives and gender-related policies have resulted in one of the most extensive overhauls of federal web content and agency operations in recent years. More than 8,000 government web pages containing diversity and inclusion information have been removed or modified to comply with new directives prohibiting content related to "gender ideology."
The sweeping changes affect multiple major agencies including the CDC, Census Bureau, FDA, and Veterans Affairs. As federal departments work to implement the orders, questions remain about which content will return in modified form and how agencies will maintain services while complying with new restrictions on DEI programs and gender-affirming healthcare support.