Photo: Alamy
The Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have eliminated 25 diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) grant programs, resulting in $8.4 million in savings that would have funded initiatives promoting “gender-expansive” inclusion and other progressive projects.
On Tuesday, the two departments announced canceling $13.6 million in total DEI-related grants.
“Great work today by @USDOL, canceling $13.6M in wasteful DEI grants totaling $8.4M in savings, including: – $716k for ‘DEIA materials, training modules, and support networks’ – $398k for ‘gender equity awareness training’ – $350k to ‘migrant sending or receiving communities,’” DOGE posted to X.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the rescinded funding had been allocated to several controversial programs. These included an equity summit designed to promote inclusive and safe work environments for women and “gender-expansive” individuals, especially those of color, with disabilities, or neurodivergence, as well as transgender individuals and others underrepresented in technology fields.
The cuts follow President Donald Trump’s startling revelations of waste and fraud within the federal government in February as DOGE efforts worked to reduce taxpayer-funded expenses.
The list noted the cancellation of planned taxpayer funds to a long list of international projects that will no longer receive funding, opening with “$10M for ‘Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision,’” among the many questionable items.
Another included $486 million in taxpayer funding to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,” which included $22 million for “inclusive and participatory process” in Moldova and $21 million for voter turnout in India.
A third example cited on DOGE’s list was $9.7 million for UC Berkeley to develop “a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills” followed by $2.3 million for “strengthening independent voices in Cambodia.”
Musk previously announced that the organization would reduce the federal deficit by $1 trillion by 2026, cutting an average of $4 billion daily. He added that if these numbers were successfully met, there would be “no inflation in 2026.”
In a Feb. 11 executive order, Trump assigned DOGE the power to implement a workforce optimization initiative to eliminate government waste. The stated goal is, “To restore accountability to the American public, this order commences a critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy. By eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity, my Administration will empower American families, workers, taxpayers, and our system of Government itself.”