ATF faces allegations of violating Trump’s anti-DEI order
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is facing accusations of circumventing an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last week outlawing DEI In government agencies.
Immediately after his inauguration, Trump ordered “the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI . . . mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.” He directed all agencies to “terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and ‘environmental justice’ offices and positions.”
Anticipating that Left-wing federal employees will try to continue invoking DEI by renaming it, the executive order also ordered the Office of Management and Budget to compile a list of all offices and initiatives that have been “misleadingly relabeled in an attempt to preserve” DEI orthodoxy.
Social media sleuths discovered last week that the ATF appears to have adopted just that strategy. Before January 20th, the agency employed Lisa T. Boykin as its chief diversity officer. After the executive order, however, Boykin’s title was changed to “senior executive,” which is not an actual position. The title change, which still shows on the ATF’s website, would most likely have been approved by ATF Deputy Director Marvin Richardson.
"The ATF defied @realDonaldTrump’s order to place DEI workers on leave, instead giving their DEI officer a new title. They attack citizens’ rights, ignore leadership, and act as though they’re above the law. Enough is enough. Time to abolish the ATF!" Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) posted on X.
ATF: We are in compliance
Following the executive order, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email to all federal agencies, including the ATF:
Send a notification to all employees of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs.
An ATF spokesman responded to the accusation by claiming that the agency has obeyed Trump’s executive order.
"ATF began implementing OPM’s Initial Guidance on DEIA immediately after its issuance on January 21, 2025, in response to the President’s Executive Orders,” the ATF said, according to Fox News. “We have proactively taken the necessary steps to ensure compliance with this guidance, including by placing impacted personnel on administrative leave.”
It is not clear what that means for Boykin, but Fox News Digital reported that an attempt to reach Boykin on her ATF email, "received an automatic response noting she was unavailable to reply."
