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White House to purge diversity training in federal agencies as it’s ‘un-American propaganda’ at Trump’s behest

Trump confirmed that he wishes to cancel seminars on "critical race theory" funded by taxpayers as he described the sessions "a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue"

President Donald Trump is reportedly ending racial sensitivity training for federal government employees, claiming that the training is "divisive, un-American propaganda." The Republican leader took to Twitter, on Saturday, September 5, to confirm that he wishes to cancel seminars on "critical race theory" funded by taxpayers as he described the sessions "a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue."

Trump's tweet came shortly after the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a two-page memo on Friday, September 4, asking federal agencies to identify such programs so that they can be purged. According to Texas A&M University professor Tommy Curry, critical race theory asserts that "institutions are inherently racist and that race itself... is a socially constructed concept that is used by White people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of people of color."

The critical race theory is a popular subject in academia and private companies in the US and government agencies have lately hired specialists to teach their employees how to dismantle "White privilege" and become anti-racist. The theory states that all people are inherently racist and that all social interactions are underpinned by race. The White House Office of Management and Budget, at the demand of President Trump, now reportedly wants to stop such "experts" from having an influence on federal workers. 

The OMB Director, Russel Vought, in a memo, wrote: "'Employees across the Executive Branch have been required to attend training where they are told that "virtually all White people contribute to racism" or where they are required to say that they 'benefit from racism.' These types of 'trainings' not only run counter to the fundamental beliefs for which our Nation has stood since its inception, but they also engender division and resentment within the Federal workforce. The President has directed me to ensure that federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions."

The memo released by the department then asks federal agencies to "'identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on critical race theory/ 'white privilege', or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil. The President has a proven track record of standing for those whose voice has long been ignored and who have failed to benefit from all our country has to offer, and he intends to continue to support all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed."

Trump's directions come after a report in the New York Post in July this year had claimed that "a private diversity-consulting firm conducted a training titled 'Difficult Conversations About Race in Troubling Times' for several federal agencies." According to the report, White employees at multiple federal agencies including the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the National Credit Union Administration and the Office of the Comptroller were allegedly asked to "pledge allyship" shortly after George Floyd's death in police custody, which triggered nationwide anti-racism protests.