WASHINGTON, DC - As one of his first official acts, President Trump signed an executive order mandating that all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices within the federal government be shut down and that any employees thereof placed on paid leave pending a review of their status. According to Fox News, at least one federal agency is using subterfuge to undermine the president’s directive.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF stands accused of changing the job title of its former diversity officer to circumvent Trump’s executive order.
“The ATF defied @realDonaldTrump’s order to place DEI workers on leave, instead giving their DEI officer a new title. They attack citizens’ rights, ignore leadership, and act as though they’re above the law. Enough is enough. Time to abolish the ATF!” wrote Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) on X.
The ATF defied @realDonaldTrump’s order to place DEI workers on leave, instead giving their DEI officer a new title.
— Eric Burlison (@EricBurlison) January 22, 2025
They attack citizens’ rights, ignore leadership, and act as though they’re above the law.
Enough is enough. Time to abolish the ATF! pic.twitter.com/0JajAdeeXA
The ATF is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, January 21, the agency's website noted that Lisa T. Boykin had been hired as its chief diversity officer. However, later this week, Boykin’s title on the website was changed to “senior executive.”
The ATF has been accused of allegedly quietly changing the job title of its former diversity officer as President Trump ordered all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) employees be placed on paid leave.
— Mark Nantz (@BullseyeBanjo) January 24, 2025
This proves the ATF is engulfed in Deep State tactics. pic.twitter.com/SE5ei5ixKF
Trump and conservatives have long criticized DEI programs at the federal level, as well as in the education system and corporations throughout the US, where equity is prioritized over qualifications. During the campaign, Trump promised to roll back DEI programs within the federal government.
On Monday, shortly after being sworn in, Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, including one terminating “illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
On Tuesday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agency and department leaders to begin shutting down DEI offices and put DEI employees on paid leave.
“Send a notification to all employees of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs,” the OPM directive, obtained by Fox News Digital read.
The New York Post viewed a biography for Boykin dated 2023, which said she started working in ATF’s Human Resources Operations Division in 2016, with a “collateral duty” in 2021 serving as the Bureau’s Chief Diversity Officer.”
“With the Bureau’s continued focus on enhancing DEIA, Mrs. Boykin currently assumes the work of the CDO in a full-time capacity, leading and implementing departmental programs and mandates while bringing renewed vision and effective strategies to maintain an informal DEIA culture for the Bureau,” Boykin’s bio read.
Fox News Digital contacted the agency and received the following response from an ATF spokesman.
“ATF began implementing OPM’s Initial Guidance on DEIA immediately after its issuance on January 21, 2025, in response to the President’s Executive Orders. We have proactively taken the necessary steps to ensure compliance with this guidance, including by placing impacted personnel on administrative leave.”
Expanding on the statement, Fox News Digital asked if Boykin’s new title shields her from administrative leave, however didn’t receive an immediate reply.
Fox News also attempted to contact Boykin through her ATF email and received an automated response noting she was “unavailable.”
Critics of the agency and the Biden administration lashed out at the agency on X.
🚨BREAKING🚨
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) January 22, 2025
ATF is circumventing President Trump's executive orders to crush racist DEI programs.
To hide its DEI, @ATFHQ quietly changed Lisa T. Boykin's job title from "Chief Diversity Officer" to "Senior Executive." pic.twitter.com/WKFCWv5ftZ
During his administration, Biden loaded government agencies with woke DEI policies, and critics said the government was more focused on progressive policies than its core mission.
“In the weeks ahead, I will be reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and accessibility, building on the work we started in the Obama-Biden administration,” Biden said in January 2021. “That’s why I’m rescinding the previous administration’s harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training.”
Trump vowed to stop that after he was elected in November, and this week, he kept his promise.
