The FBI has ditched its diversity and inclusion department ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

The president-elect vowed to crack down on DEI initiatives during his time in office. A number of corporate organisations have canned their diversity programmes in recent months amid pressure from conservative activists.  

The agency took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in December, a spokesman told Fox News Digital.

It comes after Christopher Wray, the Director of the FBI, faced pressure to explain the law enforcement agency’s “radical” DEI practices following the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.

In a letter to the agency chief, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn said DEI initiatives had “endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans”.

She added: “Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritisation of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded.

“Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation.”

After the first assassination attempt on Mr Trump in July 2024, federal agencies including the secret service, faced criticism for their pursuit of diversity at the expense of pragmatism.