The Logoff: Trump’s anti-DEI blitz

The Logoff is a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.

Good afternoon, and welcome to The Logoff — the newsletter that gives you the Trump news you need so that you can log off and get back to the rest of your life.

Late Tuesday, President Donald Trump launched a barrage of executive orders and other actions aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts — both inside government and everywhere else. The shift undoes decades of policies that had strong Democratic support and were left intact by previous Republican administrations, including during Trump’s first term. And it will mean the end of policies that supporters say provided meaningful channels for advancement for millions of women and minorities.

The orders:

• Undid a 1965 affirmative action requirement for federal contractors to hire more women and people of color
• Ordered every federal agency to identify “the most egregious and discriminatory DEI practitioners” in the private sector for potential investigation
• Nullified a slew of other existing DEI requirements, including an order aimed at promoting environmental justice for marginalized communities

And the acting chief of the office overseeing the federal civil service ordered all employees at DEI-related offices to be placed on leave, effectively freezing DEI efforts government-wide.

Progressive groups may challenge many of these actions in court, but they could face long odds, as the Supreme Court’s majority takes a dim view of affirmative action. And with Trump’s executive order promising more anti-DEI steps in the coming months, America’s anti-DEI revolution is well underway. The implications of that revolution will be felt in government, business, academia, and virtually every other faction of civic life for years, if not decades, to come.

And with that, it’s time to log off …

That was intense, but … did you know that some of the world’s largest lakes have been hidden under Antarctica’s ice for millions of years? And did you know that scientists have discovered not just life in those lakes — but a thriving ecosystem? Would you like to learn more via Vox’s delightful Unexplainable podcast? Here you go!