US government agencies order employees to remove gender pronouns from email signatures – CNN
Multiple US government agencies have ordered employees “to remove gender identifying pronouns from email signature blocks by 5:00 PM” on Friday, according to internal emails seen by CNN.
Directives were sent out to employees at agencies including the State Department, Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The emails said the move was to align with President Donald Trump’s “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth” executive order, which says it is US government policy “to recognize two sexes, male and female.” That executive order does not make any specific mention of pronouns, which commonly include “she” and “he” to refer to a woman and a man, respectively, and “they” as a gender-neutral descriptor.
Along with the directive addressing pronouns, several agencies rolled out other changes Friday, ranging from website updates to curtailing celebrations related to diversity. These moves come as Trump is carrying out his campaign pledge of gutting federal diversity and inclusion programs and policies. Within days of taking office, the Trump administration ordered employees in federal DEI and accessibility offices to be placed on paid administrative leave and instructed federal agencies to move to terminate such offices within 60 days. Trump has also ended the use of DEI criteria in hiring and federal contracting.
One State Department employee said there is a sense of fear about what Friday’s directive signals for freedom of speech and expression at the agency.
An email from the State Department’s acting head of management noted that the agency “is reviewing all agency programs, contracts, and grants that inculcate gender ideology, and we are removing outward facing media that does the same.”
The email added that offices in the State Department “have already been alerted to review trainings, forms, and plans that involve gender ideology.”
The ODNI workforce also received a memo earlier this week notifying employees of allegations that some intelligence officers were attempting to “subvert” presidential directives to “terminate” DEI programs across the government and warning that all such reports would be referred to the inspector general for immediate investigation.
The memo says those allegations, if verified by the intelligence community inspector general, could result in “possible disciplinary action, including termination,” according to a copy reviewed by CNN.
“It is my understanding that these alleged actions go beyond unintentional missteps, which can happen when implementing a quick pivot to new priorities and cause harm to the reputation of our Community,” the memo adds.
In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for ODNI said, “The staff notification you’re referencing reflects that ODNI has established a channel for officers to report information, including classified information, for further evaluation in accordance with (Office of Personnel Management)’s message to the federal workforce regarding DEIA.”
Some of the other recently implemented changes include:
Employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also received a similar directive that targets contracts with DEI provisions, and employees were told that it is in accordance with Trump’s executive order on gender identity, according to a memo seen by CNN.
HHS was tasked with identifying all contracts that include the terms “he/she/they/them,” all combined, along with “inclusivity” and variations of “nonbinary” by Friday so that they can be terminated.
At least two agencies have also updated sections of their website that relate to LGBTQ people.
The State Department has removed references to transgender, queer and intersex people in its pages that provide information for international travel. With the change from “LGBTQI+” to “LGB,” the pages solely include references to different sexualities and not gender identities.
A section of the department’s website for LGBTQ parents looking to adopt internationally was changed Friday, according to a published time stamp, and no longer makes reference to the full acronym. The page that provides broader information for “travelers with special considerations” also shows it had been updated last week.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday also removed websites and datasets related to LGBTQ people.
Also on Friday, the Department of Defense announced that it will not host events for “cultural awareness months,” mere hours before the start of Black History Month.
The department said in a statement that “identity months” are now “dead” at the Pentagon, adding that “official resources,” which include employees’ time, will not be dedicated to celebrations of months that recognize diversity. The statement also informs employees that if they choose to attend such events, it must be “in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours.”
“Installations, units, and offices are encouraged to celebrate the valor and success of military heroes of all races, genders, and backgrounds as we restore our warrior culture and ethos,” the statement said. “We are proud of our warriors and their history, but we will focus on the character of their service instead of their immutable characteristics.”
The department points to the following months in its statement: Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National American Indian Heritage Month.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed reporting.
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