Immediately following his swearing-in, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive applicable across the Pentagon, mandating the dissolution of all DEI offices within military branches and civilian agencies of the Department of Defense.
“The President’s directives are unequivocal: DEI initiatives are no longer permitted at the Department of Defense,” Secretary Hegseth stated in a post on X. “The Pentagon will adhere to this directive without delay, exceptions, or alterations.” He further emphasized that “noncompliance will result in termination of employment.”
Hegseth, aged 44, took the oath of office on Saturday morning after a challenging confirmation process, during which he encountered numerous unfounded or false accusations. Vice President J.D. Vance cast the decisive vote after three Republican Senators—Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—opposed his nomination.
“All praise and glory to God. His will be done, and we are thankful to be here,” Hegseth remarked post-swearing-in, also acknowledging his wife. “As I mentioned during my hearing, it was Jesus and Jenny. I would not be here without you, sweetheart. Thank you very much.” He expressed gratitude to Trump for his nomination and continued support, a sentiment echoed by Vance despite the allegations.
Last week, Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Charles Ezell circulated a memo to heads of departments and agencies, instructing them to close all government DEI offices by the end of the day on Wednesday. Employees in these offices were notified that they would be placed on paid leave.
Reports have emerged indicating that some federal agencies are attempting to circumvent Trump’s order by rebranding DEI departments and altering the titles of their offices.
Trump’s nominee for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., received encouraging news last week regarding his confirmation prospects. According to WPRI, Rhode Island Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse may consider breaking party lines to support Kennedy, stemming from their longstanding friendship that dates back to their time as law school roommates.
In 1998, The Providence Journal highlighted the bond between the two, noting, “On many mornings, the two young men, scions of wealthy families with histories of public service, hiked and hunted in the woods around Charlottesville, Va. Kennedy half-jokingly claims he failed his first bar exam because Whitehouse convinced him to embark on a four-day whitewater rafting trip in West Virginia instead of studying.”
However, when asked about Kennedy’s confirmation last week, Whitehouse told Politico, “I’m not going to reveal how I’m voting [on] any nominee.” Additionally, he mentioned to Slate last month, “There’s a bunch of stuff that I want from HHS. So I’m going to hold my fire on that.”
The schedule for Kennedy’s hearings before the two committees necessary for his approval has been established, as reported by Fox News.
“The Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary nominee will participate in hearings with two committees: the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and the Senate Committee on Finance. The first hearing is set for next week, on Wednesday, before the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees HHS. The HELP committee, responsible for health and healthcare issues, will question Kennedy the following day, on Thursday,” the outlet stated.
Ultimately, the Senate Finance Committee will determine whether his nomination proceeds.
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