The Swamp purge continues as dozens of Education Department employees were placed on leave, according to reports.
CNN first reported the news of the administrative leave, noting that it is connected to the Trump administration’s goal of putting an end to wasteful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the federal workforce.
“Effective January 31, 2025, you will be placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits pursuant to the President’s executive order on DEIA and further guidance from OPM,” the letter sent to affected employees states, making it clear the administrative leave is not related to disciplinary measures.
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The leave affects at least 55 employees in the department, “including senior-level career workers,” according to the outlet.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order aimed to end DEI programs in the federal workforce.
“The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination,” the order reads. “That ends today.”
“Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great,” it continues.
Days later, in a January 23 press release — three days into Trump’s second term — the Department of Education announced that it is moving to eliminate DEI initiatives in hope of aligning with Trump’s agenda to “end illegal discrimination and wasteful spending across the federal government.”
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It continues:
Following President Trump’s recent Executive Orders and initial guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Department removed or archived hundreds of guidance documents, reports, and training materials that include mentions of DEI from its outward facing communication channels. The Department also put employees charged with leading DEI initiatives on paid administrative leave. These review efforts will continue as the Department works to end discrimination based on race and the use of harmful race stereotypes, both within the agency and throughout America’s education system.
This is far from the first federal agency to place employees on leave following Trump’s triumphant return to D.C. Last week, dozens of top staffers for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were placed on leave — others have since been instructed to stay home — and senior FBI leaders have been instructed to leave willingly or face a forcible outing.
