Trump accelerates campaign to remake federal bureaucracy

US agencies scrap diversity programmes, rescind job offers and sideline officials

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US agencies under President Donald Trump pushed ahead on Jan 23 on his orders to reshape the federal bureaucracy, scrapping diversity programmes, rescinding job offers and sidelining more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials.

The Republican President has made little secret of his disdain for the sprawling 2.2 million-strong federal workforce, and in particular, for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, which promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ people and other traditionally under-represented groups.

In a speech delivered via video on Jan 23 to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Trump said his orders ending DEI programmes would make America a "merit based country" once again.

"These are policies that were absolute nonsense, throughout the government and the private sector," he said.

The Federal Reserve scrubbed a Diversity and Inclusion section from its website, with previous links to data on the racial, ethnic and gender make-up of its economists and researchers now defaulting to the homepage.

The Central Intelligence Agency has dissolved its diversity and inclusion office along with all related programmes, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Ms Stephanie La Rue, a senior government official who oversaw diversity policies for all 18 US intelligence agencies, likewise appeared to be sent home and references to her had been removed from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. A spokesperson for that office declined to comment.