Federal Employees Ordered to Remove Pronouns from Email Signatures Amid Trump Administration Mandate
Federal employees at several government agencies are facing new directives to remove pronouns from their email signatures and official documents by the end of the day. This mandate stems from two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government.
Internal memos obtained by ABC News reveal the urgency behind this initiative, as employees were instructed to comply by 5 p.m. ET today, January 31, 2025. According to these communications, staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received explicit instructions from Jason Bonander, the chief information officer, stating, “Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed from CDC/ATSDR employee signatures by 5 p.m. ET on Friday.” Similar directives were echoed throughout the Departments of Transportation and Energy, with employees instructed to remove pronouns from all government communications, including grant applications.
The political backdrop of these mandates is significant. Trump's executive orders, cited within the agency memos, seek to eliminate what his administration calls “radical and wasteful DEI programs” and restore what he terms “biological truth” to federal operations. According to reports, prior efforts under the Biden administration to expand protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are now being rolled back, with the latest order ensuring federal discourse aligns with Trump’s established agenda.
The timeline of these events coincides with heightened scrutiny on policies meant to promote gender inclusivity. Just recently, the Biden administration faced backlash for attempting to rewrite Title IX protections, which aimed to include factors such as sexual orientation and gender identity. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor has since criticized these attempts, claiming they undermine women and girls' rights by favoring inclusivity over biological classifications.
At the heart of this issue are the practical repercussions for federal employees. Numerous staff members reported feelings of frustration and disillusionment over the mandate. One anonymous CDC employee shared their disbelief, saying, “I’ve never been told what I can and can’t put in my email signature,” reflecting broader concerns about government overreach and personal freedoms.
The internal memoranda also indicated the necessity for agencies to go well beyond just email signatures. They were instructed to terminate any contracts deemed to “promote or inculcate gender ideology” and review all existing position descriptions accordingly. Employees holding positions centered around promoting gender ideology are being placed on paid administrative leave as agencies prepare to close or relocate related initiatives.
This controversial approach has elicited mixed reactions across the political spectrum, with some defending the measures as necessary steps toward restoring traditional values within government agencies. Yet, critics argue these changes reinforce stigma against gender-diverse individuals and risk sowing division within the federal workforce.
Memoranda issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) earlier this week aligned with the instructions to the agencies, reinforcing the necessity to disable email features prompting users to display their pronouns. The directive is one of many actions within the Trump administration’s broader agenda aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives, which have been politically polarizing since their inception.
The robustness of these orders is still under scrutiny, as it remains unclear how uniformly they will be implemented across federal agencies. Notably, spokespeople for various departments—including Health and Human Services—did not respond immediately to queries about the new policies, leaving uncertainty about potential compliance.
Publicly, the shifting stance on gender identity and inclusion within governmental frameworks reflects broader cultural debates taking place across the country. Removing pronouns from email signatures is just one piece of this larger puzzle, as organizations wrestle with how best to navigate the intersection of personal identity, workplace equality, and government policies.
With these sweeping changes underway, federal employees find themselves amid turbulent waters. The directive to remove pronouns can be viewed not only as an administrative decision but also as part of the turbulent political narrative surrounding gender identity, diversity, and the role of government. Balancing these dynamics will undoubtedly continue to challenge institutions and employees alike as they forge their paths forward.
While the legal ramifications of these directives may take time to materialize, the immediate impact on federal employees is clear: the government's action to eliminate pronouns from email signatures encapsulates the contentious debates over identity and inclusion and highlights the shifting political priorities under the current administration.
The current climate showcases how policies reflect and impact societal values, as the removal of pronouns signifies more than compliance—it signals where federal employee identity may be heading under the administration's vision.