Digging for DEI Dollars: Watchdog Report Identifies 460 Programs Across 24 Federal Agencies

The Functional Government Initiative and the Center for Renewing America identify at least a trillion dollars’ worth of divisive, identity-based programs and policies among the federal thicket and make suggestions that could ensure they don’t come back.

On his first day back in office, President Trump issued an executive order to eliminate “radical and wasteful” Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) “programs and preferences” from the federal government. The Biden administration embraced this “woke” agenda and embedded it across the executive branch. Ensuring these programs do not make a comeback will take a sustained effort.

To help the administration in this task, and to help educate the public on the scope of the problem, the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) and the Center for Renewing America (CRA) have published DEI Spending in the Biden Administration. This report traces the Biden administration’s web of DEI programs and influence throughout the government, provides numbers on how much money these programs and initiatives wasted, and offers options for Congress to consider that could root out DEI ideology permanently.

A crucial guide to uncovering the myriad DEI expenditures, both small and large, were the “Equity Action Plans” (EAPs) that President Biden demanded across the government. The Biden administration claimed that these plans were designed to identify and remove barriers keeping federal resources from “marginalized” or “underserved” communities, particularly in areas like procurement, contracting, and grant opportunities. In reality, the systemic focus on DEI poisoned federal governance, contributing to the substantial increase in related spending and diverting resources toward controversial policies, away from agency missions. The Biden administration forcibly inserted the language of DEI into every corner of the executive branch.

The study identified 460 programs across 24 government agencies that diverted resources to DEI initiatives. At least $1 trillion was infused with DEI principles. Here are some examples taken from various EAPs:

• The Defense Department planned to “Integrate environmental/economic justice tools.”
• FEMA found the need to “Install equity as a foundation of emergency management.”
• The Department of Labor “must embed equity in a sustainable manner that recognizes the multiple and overlapping identities held by workers.”

President Trump’s swift actions and executive orders stopped these efforts. To ensure a future president can’t just reverse course upon taking office, Congressional action could banish DEI philosophies for good. Our report includes suggestions for lawmakers to consider for eliminating DEI and other radical ideologies—detailed legislative proposals that could prevent the resurrection of poisonous ideas and practices in our national government.

Wade Miller, Senior Advisor for CRA, issued the following statement:

“DEI is deeply rooted throughout all aspects of the federal government, and it needs to be eliminated completely. Thankfully, the Trump administration has already embarked on a vitally necessary complete audit of each and every government program. We offer, in this report, what we hope are additional resources and tools that the new administration and Congress can use to identify, destroy, and permanently remove DEI from the federal government.”

Roderick Law, spokesman for FGI, issued the following statement:

“The dual study could both expedite the elimination of DEI from the executive branch and show just how quickly pernicious ideologies can spread inside the government. The nature of DEI is both divisive and anti-American, so why force it onto the military, the Commerce Department, or the EPA? After President Biden lavishly funded and pushed these controversial principles into every possible area of government, our hope is that raising these questions and offering Congress and responsible executive branch officials tools and suggestions can keep it from happening again.”

MxM News

Quick Hit:

After a six-week review, Sen. Marco Rubio announced the cancellation of 83% of USAID programs, citing wasteful spending and harm to U.S. national interests. The move eliminates 5,200 contracts worth tens of billions of dollars, with remaining programs shifting under the State Department for better oversight. Rubio thanked staff for their efforts in implementing what he called a “historic reform.”

Key Details:

• Sen. Marco Rubio revealed that 5,200 USAID contracts have been canceled after a six-week review.
• The cuts affect tens of billions in foreign aid, which Rubio argued was not serving U.S. national interests.
• The remaining 1,000 programs will be administered under the State Department with improved oversight.

Diving Deeper:

In a sweeping reform of U.S. foreign aid spending, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced on Monday that the federal government has canceled 83% of programs administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). According to Rubio, the decision followed a six-week review that exposed extensive waste, inefficiency, and, in some cases, harm to core U.S. national interests.

“The 5,200 contracts that are now canceled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, and in some cases even harmed, the core national interests of the United States,” Rubio stated. His move reflects growing scrutiny among conservatives regarding how taxpayer money is used in foreign aid, particularly under USAID, which has long been criticized for funding controversial projects abroad.

Rubio clarified that approximately 1,000 remaining programs—just 18% of USAID’s previous operations—will now be administered under the State Department. This transition, he noted, will ensure these programs are managed more effectively with greater oversight from Congress. His announcement signals a significant shift in how the U.S. approaches foreign aid, moving toward a more targeted and strategic approach rather than broad, unchecked spending.

The decision has drawn praise from fiscal conservatives who have long argued that USAID’s operations lacked accountability and often funded programs that failed to advance American interests. Critics of the agency have pointed to cases where U.S. foreign aid dollars went to projects promoting ideological agendas or funding corruption in foreign governments.

Rubio thanked the Department of Global Engagement (DOGE) and USAID staff who worked tirelessly to carry out what he described as a long-overdue reform. The announcement is likely to spark debate in Washington, as Democrats and globalist policymakers have traditionally defended USAID’s expansive role in international development.

The restructuring of USAID under the oversight of the State Department represents a dramatic reimagining of America’s foreign assistance strategy—one that prioritizes accountability and ensures taxpayer dollars are spent in direct service of national security and diplomatic goals.