Judge Anthony J. Trenga, a George W. Bush appointee, has temporarily blocked President Trump’s effort to clean house in the intelligence community—specifically targeting agents involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives that have prioritized leftist ideology over national security.
This ruling comes after a group of anonymous intelligence officers—who had been temporarily reassigned to roles implementing controversial Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs—filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the CIA.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, names ODNI, the CIA, and their respective heads—Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe—as defendants.
The plaintiffs, identified as “John Does 1-6” and “Jane Does 1-5,” claim they are being unfairly targeted simply for their prior assignments to DEIA programs.
However, conservatives see it differently. On his first day back in office, President Trump signed Executive Order 14151, decisively dismantling DEIA offices across the federal government and branding them ‘illegal and immoral.’
The order made it clear that radical left-wing hiring practices—prioritizing identity over merit—had no place in a serious government, especially within agencies responsible for protecting national security.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim they were placed on administrative leave “without cause” and fear imminent termination. They argue that the ODNI and CIA’s actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the First and Fifth Amendments, essentially accusing the Trump administration of purging government agencies based on assumed political beliefs.
In reality, these DEIA assignments were nothing more than a bureaucratic extension of the far-left’s identity politics agenda, which has infiltrated every corner of government—including national security agencies.
Many of these so-called intelligence officers were not dedicated to protecting America’s security but were instead focused on enforcing radical leftist policies that prioritized “equity” over competence.
However, on Tuesday, Judge Anthony J. Trenga granted an administrative stay, allowing the plaintiffs to remain on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until the court issues a further ruling.
The judge also set a timeline for legal proceedings, requiring the government to submit its response by February 20, with plaintiffs allowed to reply by February 21. A full hearing on the TRO is scheduled for Monday, February 24, 2025.
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