[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 21 (Monday, February 3, 2025)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8763-8765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02181]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 90 , No. 21 / Monday, February 3, 2025 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 8763]]
Executive Order 14185 of January 27, 2025
Restoring America's Fighting Force
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. As Chief Executive and as Commander
in Chief, I am committed to meritocracy and to the
elimination of race-based and sex-based discrimination
within the Armed Forces of the United States. No
individual or group within our Armed Forces should be
preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race,
ethnicity, color, or creed.
Unfortunately, in recent years civilian and uniformed
leadership alike have implemented Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion (DEI) programs and their attendant race
and sex preferences within the Armed Forces. These
actions undermine leadership, merit, and unit cohesion,
thereby eroding lethality and force readiness. They
also violate Americans' consciences by engaging in
invidious race and sex discrimination.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration
that the Department of Defense, the Department of
Homeland Security with regard to the United States
Coast Guard (USCG), and every element of the Armed
Forces should operate free from any preference based on
race or sex.
Sec. 3. Definitions. (a) A ``DEI office'' means an
office, division, job, or other unit of an institution
established for the purpose of:
(i) influencing hiring or employment practices at the institution with
respect to race, sex, color, or ethnicity, other than through the use of
color-blind and sex-neutral hiring processes; or
(ii) promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to
individuals on the basis of race, sex, color, or ethnicity.
(b) The term ``gender ideology'' has the meaning
given to that term in section 2(f) of the Executive
Order of January 20, 2025, (Defending Women from Gender
Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to
the Federal Government).
(c) The term ``divisive concepts'' has the meaning
given to that term in section 2(a) of Executive Order
13950 of September 22, 2020 (Combating Race and Sex
Stereotyping).
Sec. 4. Abolishing the DEI Bureaucracy. The Secretary
of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall
abolish every DEI office within the Department of
Defense and the Department of Homeland Security with
regard to the USCG, respectively, including any
vestiges of DEI offices, such as sub-offices, programs,
elements, or initiatives established to promote a race-
based preferences system that subverts meritocracy,
perpetuates unconstitutional discrimination, and
promotes divisive concepts or gender ideology.
Sec. 5. Department of Defense Internal Review. The
Secretary of Defense shall conduct an internal review
that documents actions taken in pursuit of DEI
initiatives, including all instances of race and sex
discrimination and activities designed to promote a
race- or sex-based preferences system. The report shall
be delivered to the Secretary of Defense within 90 days
of the date of this order.
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Sec. 6. Protecting American Values. (a) The Department
of Defense and the Armed Forces, including any
educational institution operated or controlled thereby,
are prohibited from promoting, advancing, or otherwise
inculcating the following un-American, divisive,
discriminatory, radical, extremist, and irrational
theories:
(i) ``divisive concepts,'' as defined in section 3(c) of this order, and
``race or sex stereotyping,'' or ``race or sex scapegoating'' as both terms
are defined in section 2 of Executive Order 13950, as amended;
(ii) that America's founding documents are racist or sexist; and
(iii) ``gender ideology,'' as defined in section 3(b) of this order.
(b) The Department of Defense and the Armed Forces
shall not hire employees, contractors, or consultants
to teach the theories set forth in subsection (a) of
this section.
(c) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall carefully review the
leadership, curriculum, and instructors of the United
States Service Academies and other defense academic
institutions associated with their respective
Departments to ensure alignment with this order. In
addition, these institutions shall be required to teach
that America and its founding documents remain the most
powerful force for good in human history.
Sec. 7. Implementation. (a) The Secretary of Defense
and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue
detailed guidance for the implementation of this order
to their respective departments within 30 days of the
date of this order.
(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall submit a report through the Deputy Chief
of Staff for Policy documenting the progress of their
respective Departments in implementing this order, and
any recommendations for action to fulfill the
objectives of this order.
Sec. 8. Severability. If any provision of this order,
or the application of any provision to any person or
circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of
this order and the application of its provisions to any
other persons or circumstances shall not be affected
thereby.
Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the
head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
[[Page 8765]]
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 27, 2025.
[FR Doc. 2025-02181
Filed 1-31-25; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P