The Trump administration has taken a further step towards removing diversity, equity and inclusion considerations from federal hiring, according to the Office of Personnel Management. The change matters because OPM sets personnel policy across the federal government, so revised standards could affect how agencies recruit and assess applicants.

OPM Director Scott Kupor said the approach would prioritise merit-based hiring, including skills-based assessments, rather than DEI-related guidance or self-attestation. He also linked the changes to efforts to improve accountability for underperforming staff, reduce waste and reshape federal workforce management; the supplied article text did not specify implementation dates or the full wording of the rule.