‘Our country will be woke no longer’: Donald Trump ends ‘discriminatory DEI initiatives’

US President Donald Trump, in his speech to Congress on Tuesday, said that America will no longer be woke and that they have decided to remove all DEI – diversity, equity, and inclusion – policies across the federal as well as private sector. His announcement was met with standing ovation and thunderous applause by the Republicans while the Democrats were seen not reacting. 

“We have ended the tyranny of the so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government, the private sector and the military and our country will be woke no longer. We believe that whether you are a doctor, an accountant, a lawyer or an air traffic controller, you should be hired and promoted based on your skill and competence and not race or gender,” he said to the Congress.

The White House, had in a statement stated that Trump believes the government should work for the people and “declared an end to lower standards in the name of discriminatory “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) initiatives”. He also designated English as the official language of the US.

The administration also dismissed Biden-era lawsuits against police and fire departments that were portrayed as racist for using writing tests, physical exams, and credit checks in their hiring processes. 

“The Department of Justice immediately began rooting out politically motivated lawfare that occurred in the Biden Administration. President Trump eliminated discriminatory DEI offices, employees, and practices across the bureaucracy alongside a return to merit-based hiring — including at the Federal Aviation Administration, where the Biden Administration specifically recruited individuals with intellectual disabilities and psychiatric issues,” the statement had read.

In his speech, Trump said, “My fellow citizens, America is back." "Our nation stands on the brink of a historic resurgence — one the world has never seen before and may never see again. We have achieved more in 43 days than what others did in the last four years," the US President said.

Meanwhile, Republican US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered Democratic lawmaker Al Green removed from the House chamber during Trump's address, saying he violated decorum by standing during the speech.