The FBI has decided to shut down its Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) by December 2024, following the election of President-elect Donald Trump. The move comes amid criticism from Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who argued that the FBI’s focus on DEI initiatives compromised national security.
Sen. Blackburn highlighted the FBI’s response to a New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, where the suspect was found with weapons, improvised explosives, and an ISIS flag. In a letter to the FBI director, she claimed the Bureau’s prioritization of DEI over its core mission to protect Americans contributed to such incidents.
Blackburn also criticized the FBI’s New Orleans field office for promoting unrelated initiatives, such as bracelet collection drives, on social media, suggesting the agency’s focus had shifted away from national security. She expressed confidence that President Trump would restore law and order upon taking office.
