President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to eliminate a Biden administration diversity initiative at the State Department that removed barriers to employment for underrepresented groups.
The order directed the State Department to remove the "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility" Core Precept from Foreign Service tenure and promotion criteria, The Hill reported. The order further directed the government not to base foreign service recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention decisions on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
"Relevant agencies shall identify and take appropriate action regarding any Foreign Service Officer who knowingly and willfully engaged in illegal discrimination," the order read, according to The Hill.
On Inauguration Day, Trump signed an executive order to end "radical and wasteful government" diversity, equity, and inclusion "programs and preferencing."
