FBI Employees Told Not to Promote Pride Month in Official Role
Personnel at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been instructed by leadership not to promote Pride Month in any official capacity, marking a significant shift from the practices seen under the previous administration.
In an internal email sent Thursday morning to assistant directors and special agents, FBI Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson addressed questions about the agency’s position on Pride Month.
“I’ve received several questions about the FBI’s stance on Pride Month and what related activities FBI divisions and employees should or should not participate in,” the email said, according to Fox News. “So, I want to take the opportunity to make FBI leadership’s expectations clear: There should be no official FBI actions, events, or messaging regarding Pride Month.”
The email emphasized that employees are “free to do as you like” in a personal capacity or on their own time, but stressed that “on FBI time, using FBI resources and your Bureau affiliation, you and your divisions are expected to take no official actions or issue any specific messaging.”
Williamson added that the policy “in no way lessens the FBI’s commitment to serve and protect every American in our country or welcoming colleagues from all walks of life.”
This policy represents a departure from the previous administration’s support of LGBT initiatives within the federal government, which included public celebrations of Pride Month across federal agencies and even the display of LGBT flags and symbols at the White House. The Trump administration has been working to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and end left-wing gender ideology programs within the federal government.
Upon being sworn in as FBI Director, Kash Patel outlined the administration’s goals for the bureau, stating, “Let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI.”
