Donald Trump Bans Diversity Training And Calls It ‘Anti-American Propaganda’
Donald Trump has reportedly ordered federal agencies to stop racial sensitivity training and is calling it “divisive, anti-American propaganda.”
In a two-page memo, Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, cited “millions of taxpayer dollars” spent on programs “across the Executive Branch” spent on the training as unnecessary.
The training often touches on subjects related to “white privilege” and “critical race theory.” The move is the latest overture to his political base just two months before the presidential election.
Vought has directed federal agencies to identify contracts and agency spending related to training programs that suggest America is “an inherently racist or evil country" or "that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil."
It is unclear as to how many such trainings exist.
Trump announced this latest move on Saturday (September 5), retweeting posts praising the memo. "This is a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue," Trump tweeted. "Please report any sightings so we can quickly extinguish!"
According to Vought, such 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. We cannot accept our employees receiving training that seeks to undercut our core values as Americans and drive division within our workforce."
Earlier this week, Trump said he doesn’t believe systemic racism exists in the United States.
