VA ends DEI, stops millions in spending on DEI

WASHINGTON —The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it has completed its initial implementation of President Trump’s executive order to end DEI within the federal government.

To date, VA has placed nearly 60 employees who had been solely focused on diversity, equity and inclusion activities on paid administrative leave. The combined annual salary (base pay, locality pay and additional earnings) of these employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.

Additionally, VA has identified several contracts for DEI-related trainings, materials and other consulting services, which the department is currently working to cancel. The combined value of these contracts totals more than $6.1 million.

In the coming weeks and months, VA will be working to reallocate these resources to better support the Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors the department exists to serve.

VA is also in the process of taking down a variety of DEI-related media from its various digital properties.

“Under President Trump, VA is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA’s core mission. We look forward to reallocating the millions of dollars the department was spending on DEI programs and personnel to better serve the men and women who have bravely served our nation,” said VA Director of Media Affairs Morgan Ackley.

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