Metro is eliminating its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the transit system looks to secure federal funding from the Trump administration.
In a memo to employees obtained by WTOP, Metro officials said they have been monitoring a number of executive orders by President Donald Trump since his return to the White House. While it is committed to providing “safe, reliable, and affordable transit services” for all D.C.-area residents and visitors, the transit agency needs federal funding to do so.
While it’s unclear whether the Trump administration is targeting Metro, the memo said that the transit agency plans to be “compliant with all funding conditions.”
Metro also receives funding from D.C., Maryland and Virginia. In 2024, all three jurisdictions secured millions of dollars for the agency to help avoid making serious cuts due to a $750 million deficit.
Metro’s DEI office helped with recruitment of new employees and assisting in improving training methods throughout the system. Darlene Slaughter, who was appointed as the transit agency’s chief diversity officer in 2023, will be reassigned to its Culture and Employee Engagement division.
As of Friday, a webpage associated to Metro’s “Office of DEI” has been taken down.
Along with the DEI office, Metro’s Office of Sustainability will also be eliminated. Department head Rachel Healy will assume a new role as the director of Energy and Environment. All employees in Healy’s group will be reassigned new roles, as well, the memo said.
Employees who participate in resource groups will need to meet outside work hours, and Metro will not reimburse any costs associated with those meetings.
“We cannot stress enough how committed we are to fostering an environment that supports our more than 13,000+ Metro employees,” the memo said.
Trump signed an executive order terminating DEI programs within the federal government, stating in his inauguration speech that the United States will become “a society that is colorblind and merit-based.”
Across the country, schools and universities that receive federal funds have been given deadlines to roll back diversity initiatives or risk losing funding.
WTOP has reached out to Metro for comment.
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