SUMMARY
The FBI has confirmed the closure of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective December 2024. While the agency did not specify the reasons for the closure, critics, particularly from the Republican Party, have accused the FBI of prioritizing DEI initiatives over national security. The decision follows a letter from Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to FBI Director Christopher Wray earlier this month, which linked "radical" DEI practices to alleged failures in preventing the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. Blackburn expressed concern that DEI initiatives overshadowed the FBI’s mission to protect Americans. The FBI's website still reflects its 2015 commitment to fostering diversity, citing its belief that differences in background, belief, and ability enhance decision-making and public trust. Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker acknowledged the value of diversity but criticized what she described as the "social justice weaponization" of the Bureau.
