State Department officials told to maintain ‘spirit’ of Trump’s anti-DEI order for Black History Month

President Donald Trump‘s executive order to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion appears to be causing confusion regarding whether federal agencies can observe Black History Month. A new report from the Wall Street Journal found that Department of State officials inquired about BHM, which begins on Saturday, following Trump’s orders to eliminate all DEI federal programs and offices and reverse decades-old enforcement of racial and gender discrimination laws. In response to the query as to whether the department could celebrate Black History Month, new guidance sent by the agency’s public affairs office told State officials that they should highlight the “valuable contribution of individual Americans throughout U.S. history while ensuring our public communications maintain the spirit of the directive eliminating DEAI programs.” However, the guidance advised that there would be “no restrictions” on content or programming related to accessibility or people with disabilities, the WSJ reports. The outlet cites a State Department official who said their interpretation of the directive would mean there would be “no public-facing messages or events about Black History Month.” The official told the WSJ, “That’s how we’re reading it,” adding, “The diplomats I spoke to today, with decades of experience, couldn’t remember a time we failed”...