Trump Administration Stops Lowering Standards for Police, Firefighters

TLDR

This press release outlines the executive order ending federal DEI programs, directing agencies to terminate DEI offices and funding while characterizing them as “illegal discrimination.” AG Pam Bondi implemented this by dismissing discrimination lawsuits against police/fire departments where tests had disparate racial/gender impacts. A federal judge has blocked most provisions, ruling they likely violate constitutional rights. Many organizations are scaling back DEI initiatives in response.

President Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI programs have led to significant policy changes, with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent dismissal of lawsuits against police and fire departments representing a major implementation of this agenda.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed the executive order “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” which characterized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives implemented during the Biden administration as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs”. The order directed federal agencies to terminate DEI offices and positions, end equity-related grants and contracts, and assess the impact of previous DEI programs.

A second executive order titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” was signed on January 21, 2025, further targeting DEI initiatives.

On February 26, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the dismissal of several discrimination lawsuits filed against police and fire departments during the Biden administration. These cases involved:

• Durham, North Carolina: A lawsuit alleging discrimination because Black applicants passed written firefighter tests at lower rates than White candidates.
• Maryland State Police: A case challenging written and physical tests that women and Black applicants passed at lower rates than men and White applicants.
• Cobb County, Georgia: A lawsuit regarding firefighter applicants’ written exams and credit checks.
• South Bend, Indiana: A case involving police applicant testing requirements.

The DOJ stated these dismissals represent “an early step toward eradicating illegal DEI preferences across the government and in the private sector”. Bondi emphasized that “American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas”.

Despite these actions, a federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction on February 21, 2025, blocking enforcement of most provisions in Trump’s executive orders. U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson ruled that the orders likely violate constitutional rights, particularly regarding free speech. The judge determined that the orders “impermissibly target the expression of views supportive of equity, diversity and inclusion”.

The administration’s anti-DEI stance has influenced both government agencies and private companies:

• The FBI closed its DEI office in December 2024, before Trump’s inauguration.
• Major corporations like PepsiCo have scaled back DEI initiatives, ending workforce representation goals.
• Trump has fired military officers who supported diversity and equity initiatives.

The administration continues to frame these actions as eliminating discrimination and restoring merit-based hiring practices, while critics argue they undermine efforts to address historical inequities in hiring practices.