In the wake of the tragic terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has expressed her grave concerns regarding the FBI's focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which she believes may detract from the agency's primary responsibility of safeguarding the American public. The so-called DEI initiative is a framework for hiring practices implemented in government human resource offices to ensure fair treatment and participation for everyone, potentially at the expense of focusing on national security.

“I write to express my deep concern regarding the terror attack that occurred in New Orleans on January 1. In the early hours of New Year’s Day, an individual plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, killing 14 innocent people and injuring dozens more. Among the injured are two heroic police officers who traded gunfire with the suspect, who is now deceased. While the facts surrounding this unconscionable attack continue to emerge, what we know is deeply troubling: the suspect was in possession of weapons, improvised explosive devices, and an ISIS flag. This horrific incident constitutes a blatant act of terror on the American homeland, and the people of our country deserve to know whether federal law enforcement agencies can sufficiently prevent and respond to such incidents,” Blackburn said.

Senator Blackburn further criticized the FBI under Director Christopher Wray for reportedly compromising its hiring standards to meet DEI requirements. She noted, “To that end, I am deeply concerned that—under your leadership—the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people. A recent report, drafted by a group of retired FBI agents for the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, indicates that ‘the law enforcement and intelligence capabilities of the FBI are degrading because the FBI is no longer hiring ‘the best and the brightest’ candidates.’ The report also notes that ‘the FBI is selecting [lower quality] candidates to become FBI Special Agents because they satisfy the FBI’s priority to meet Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates.’”

Blackburn contended that the FBI’s decision to emphasize political correctness over public safety has dangerous implications for American citizens. She stated, “In line with President Biden’s extreme focus on DEI measures, you announced in early 2021 the hiring of a 'Chief Diversity Officer at the FBI.' The New Orleans FBI Field Office subsequently held a ‘Diversity Agent Recruiting Event’ on July 17, 2024—only a few months before this horrific terror attack on the city. And the New Orleans Chief of Police, Anne Kirkpatrick, is an instructor for the Bureau’s Leadership Training Program, where she teaches a course on ‘bias and diversity.’ Most recently, in a striking example of tone deafness, the New Orleans FBI Field office thought it important to brag on X about how many bracelets its agents had collected. Your decision to prioritize politics, pop culture, or almost anything else over your mission to protect the public has put Americans in harm’s way, and the January 1 terror attack was the inevitable consequence.”

In her closing remarks, Blackburn emphasized the urgent need for accountability regarding how DEI initiatives may have jeopardized national security. “Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded. Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation. In the meantime, until the President-Elect’s nominee to lead the FBI is confirmed, the American people deserve to know the full extent to which your radical DEI agenda has compromised our national security,” she concluded.

See letter written by U.S. Sen. Blackburn HERE.