The U.S Department of State has announced that it has eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) content from Foreign Service training.
In a fact sheet issued today by the Office of the Spokesperson, the department said that the change was part of broader efforts under President Donald Trump to reform the Foreign Service and ensure that diplomatic training is focused on advancing US foreign policy and the interests of American citizens.
The department said that an internal review found that DEI-related materials had become embedded in Foreign Service training and personnel guidance during the previous administration. According to the State Department, some of the material promoted ideas that officials now regard as divisive and inconsistent with the objectives of American diplomacy. “The U.S. Department of State has put an end to the ideologically extreme and discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda,” the department said, adding that it was restoring “merit, rigor, and accountability” to the Foreign Service.
The department said that the review identified a range of DEI-related materials that had been used in training programs for diplomats and instructors. Among them was a reading list that included works addressing race, discrimination, reparations and humanitarian aid.
The department characterized some of the texts as promoting division among diplomats and said their inclusion had distracted from the Foreign Service’s broader mission. The State Department also cited guidance that encouraged Foreign Service officers to discuss DEI issues with senior foreign government officials, demonstrate what the department described as “allyship” and independently develop their knowledge of DEI issues.
According to the fact sheet, some Foreign Service instructors had also been provided with a DEI toolkit containing materials for discussing subjects such as “white privilege” and “systemic racism” in foreign-language instruction. The department highlighted examples including lessons on discussing Black Lives Matter in Bangla, discussions of systemic racism in Urdu and exercises involving Black Lives Matter terminology in Hebrew lessons. It also cited role-playing exercises focused on race and racism in the United States and other countries.
The department said that other guidance instructed officials to avoid certain terminology when discussing immigration. It pointed to a vocabulary list that described the term “illegal alien” as problematic and encouraged the use of alternative language. Foreign Service instructors were also provided with an “Inclusivity Guide,” which the department said included materials addressing workplace inclusion, pronoun use and microaggressions.
The guide included references to “international pronoun day” and examples of non-binary pronouns, as well as material on responding to accusations of microaggression. The department said that such materials were viewed by the current administration as “divisive, damaging to morale, and prejudicial to mission effectiveness.”
The review also found that dedicated DEI sessions had been incorporated into existing Foreign Service training. According to the department, a day and a half of DEI instruction had been added to the five-week Foreign Service orientation course, while a full day on DEI had been included in a five-day Foundations of Public Diplomacy course. State Department officials were also instructed to practice what the fact sheet described as “microaffirmations” as a way of addressing unconscious bias and microaggressions.
The administration’s decision reflects the broader effort by the Trump administration to roll back DEI initiatives across the federal government. The State Department’s latest announcement specifically focuses on the Foreign Service, which is responsible for representing US interests abroad and supporting American diplomatic missions around the world.
The department said the changes were designed to ensure that diplomats concentrate on the skills required to carry out their responsibilities, including advancing US foreign policy and protecting American interests.
US Invites People To Join Foreign Service
The State Department described American diplomats as the country’s “first line of defense” against a range of threats, including hostile foreign powers, terrorism, narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration. The department said that its Foreign Service modernization efforts would continue as part of the broader reforms and encouraged Americans interested in diplomatic careers to apply.
It invited people with the “skill and spirit” to represent the United States abroad to join the Foreign Service, framing the changes as an effort to strengthen the institution and ensure that diplomats are prepared to address the security and foreign policy challenges facing the country.
The announcement is likely to remain part of the wider political debate over the role of DEI programs in government institutions. Supporters of such programs have argued that they can improve inclusion and representation in the federal workforce, while the Trump administration has maintained that such initiatives can undermine merit-based standards and distract government agencies from their core responsibilities.
For the State Department, the immediate priority is now a Foreign Service training system centered on professional competence, accountability and practical diplomatic skills. The department said that its reforms are intended to ensure that US diplomats remain focused on representing the country and protecting its interests overseas.
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