The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the State Department have criticized practices implemented during the Biden administration that required diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to make up 20% of performance evaluations for foreign service officers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the changes to the administration’s DEI policies as “important and historic.” The department circulated PowerPoint slides offering examples of phrases to avoid in evaluations.
One slide highlighted how certain phrases could unintentionally influence readers. It contrasted gendered adjectives such as, “Dr. Sarah Gray is a caring, compassionate physician” with more neutral examples like, “Dr. Joel Gray has been very successful with his patients.”
The slides also discouraged faint praise, providing examples like, “S/he worked hard on projects that s/he was assigned” or “S/he has never had temper tantrums.”
“Now, our outstanding Foreign Service Officers will be assessed based on true merit, not on arbitrary, unchangeable characteristics,” Rubio stated on social media.
Rubio also shared a post from DOGE, which pointed out that the policy required diplomats to avoid “gendered adjectives” and “faint praise.” The slides also advised against using first names for women or minorities while using titles for men.
Additionally, DOGE highlighted that the slides called on local organizations to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) through programs, training, lectures, and annual DEIA awards ceremonies.
Foreign service officers were also encouraged to set race and gender quotas for embassy speaking panels and other diplomatic events. “In partnership with DOGE, Secretary Rubio has ended this discrimination and restored merit to the foreign service,” DOGE stated.
This shift away from DEIA requirements in performance evaluations comes just one week after the Trump administration reduced funding by $15 million to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for DEI-related grants, aligning with DOGE’s objectives and the president’s executive orders aimed at removing DEI initiatives from federal operations.
The funding cuts included $6.7 million for the California State Library to enhance library programs aimed at equity, $4 million for the Washington State Library for diverse staff development, and a $1.5 million DEI grant for Connecticut’s library system to integrate social justice principles. Additionally, a $700,000 grant for a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit studying “post-pandemic DEI practices” in children’s museums was also reduced.
According to DOGE’s website, the department’s efforts have saved American taxpayers $140 billion, or roughly $870 per taxpayer.
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