Federal employees across multiple agencies were instructed to remove pronouns from their email signatures by Friday afternoon, in compliance with directives linked to executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. The orders sought to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government.
Internal memos obtained by ABC News reveal that staff at agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) were given explicit instructions to comply with the policy by 5 p.m. ET on Friday.
“Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed from CDC/ATSDR employee signatures by 5 p.m. ET on Friday,” read one such message sent to CDC staff on Friday morning. The directive was part of a broader effort to implement Trump’s first-day executive orders aimed at limiting the influence of DEI-related language in federal government discourse.
At the Department of Transportation, which was grappling with the fallout from the D.C. plane crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, employees received a similar order the day before. According to sources familiar with the matter, the Transportation Department instructed staff to remove pronouns from email signatures, government grant applications, and other official communications.
Similarly, employees at the Department of Energy were given a similar mandate, with officials citing Trump’s executive order calling for the removal of DEI language in federal communications. The directive required employees to eliminate any language considered to be part of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” efforts from their email signatures.
The orders were tied to a broader initiative spearheaded by the Trump administration to curtail DEI efforts across federal agencies. On his first day in office, Trump signed two executive orders that aimed to terminate what his administration deemed “radical and wasteful DEI programs.” The orders also sought to “restore biological truth to the federal government,” emphasizing policies that were in line with Trump’s conservative views on issues such as gender and diversity.
Trump’s Executive Orders and Their Impact on Federal Agencies
The executive orders signed by Trump have had lasting implications for federal government practices and communications. One key provision in the directives focused on the removal of “radical” diversity-related content from government operations. This included prohibitions on promoting DEI language in official communications, as well as restricting the use of gender-neutral pronouns in email signatures.
Sources familiar with the internal memos say that the orders were referenced in the Friday instructions to agencies. The memos included specific guidelines for how employees should alter their email signatures, with some agencies offering step-by-step instructions on how to edit the signature settings in their email systems.
For example, one memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) earlier in the week instructed agencies to “review agency email systems such as Outlook and turn off features that prompt users for their pronouns.” This was part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to limit the visibility of pronouns in federal communications.
While employees at some federal agencies received the directive, it remains unclear whether the mandate was issued across all federal departments. Spokespeople for the CDC, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment on the matter.
Mixed Reactions to the Directive
The mandate to remove pronouns from email signatures has been met with mixed reactions from federal employees. One CDC employee, who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, expressed frustration at the order. “In my decade-plus years at CDC, I’ve never been told what I can and can’t put in my email signature,” the employee said. “It’s just another example of overreach that undermines the way we communicate in a modern workplace.”
The directive has sparked broader debates about workplace inclusivity, with some questioning whether such policies undermine efforts to promote a more inclusive and diverse environment within federal agencies. Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and diversity often argue that using pronouns in email signatures is a way to foster respect and recognition for individuals’ identities, particularly for those who are transgender or non-binary.
However, the Trump administration’s stance on DEI initiatives, which it labeled as wasteful and politically motivated, led to significant changes in how federal agencies approached issues of diversity and inclusion. The new policies issued under Trump’s leadership were part of a larger push to reverse what his administration considered progressive overreach.
The Future of Diversity Initiatives in Government
The decision to remove pronouns from email signatures is just the latest in a series of policy changes affecting DEI programs in the federal government. While the Trump administration aimed to significantly reduce the scope of such initiatives, it is unclear how future administrations will approach the issue.
President Joe Biden, upon taking office, has made clear his commitment to restoring diversity and inclusion efforts within the federal government. The Biden administration’s stance could lead to a reversal of some of Trump’s policies, especially those that limit the use of pronouns and other diversity-related language in government communications.
For now, the removal of pronouns from email signatures serves as a reminder of the ongoing tension surrounding DEI programs in government workplaces. As federal agencies continue to navigate the legacy of Trump’s executive orders, the debate over diversity and inclusion is likely to remain a contentious issue, with differing views on how best to promote inclusivity in the workplace.
