President Trump's move to rid the federal government of DEI has claimed yet another such office. "In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the president's executive order around diversity, equity, and inclusion, we have closed our DEI office," public broadcaster PBS said in a statement, per the Hill. "The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS." A memo from PBS CEO Paula Kerger circulating online notes that the move came after conferring with legal counsel on how to respond to Trump's anti-DEI executive order.
Kerger said Tuesday that, because PBS receives federal monies through the Department of Education and National Science Foundation for children's programming—about $535 million in total from the government, or 16% of its budget—her group's legal team decided it would be best to comply with Trump's directive, per the AP. She noted that PBS' DEI office did more than just advocate for racial equity—much of its recent work was dedicated to improving access to PBS programming for kids with hearing problems, for instance.
Kerger added that, in regard to the 330 or so PBS member stations, some of which may have their own DEI offices, "we're trying to encourage them to have lawyers look at their circumstances." NPR notes that Trump went after funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting—which in turn funds both PBS and NPR—during his first term, though he wasn't successful. NPR, which has its own DEI office and staffers, hasn't yet made clear whether it will get rid of those as well. Despite its DEI office shuttering, PBS vowed in its statement to "continue to adhere to our mission and values. PBS will continue to reflect all of America and remain a welcoming place for everyone." (More PBS stories.)
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