Democratic Congressman Says Fighting Trump's DEI Executive Order Isn't a Priority

Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres said fighting Republicans' offense on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) won't be a priority of his as the party reassesses how to best address President Donald Trump's administration.

"I've never had a constituent who said to me 'DEI is my number one issue,'" Torres told the BBC, adding that he will focus on issues voters do think about on a daily basis, such as public safety.

The statement comes as the Trump administration determined that all federal workers who have DEI roles across the administration be put in paid leave by Wednesday evening.

A memo from the Office of Personnel Management conveyed the order, which comes as the government gets ready to close all related offices and programs. All federal agencies are also required to submit a written plan to dismiss the employees by the end of the month.

"President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday night. It is unclear how many employees will be affected by the decision.