Federal Judge Declines to Halt Firings of CIA Officers Tied to DEI Programs

U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga in Virginia had previously issued an administrative stay to pause the firings.

CIA headquarters in McLean, Virginia, on Sept. 24, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

A federal judge declined on Thursday to grant a temporary restraining order that would have extended a block on the termination of 19 CIA officers who worked in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs, which President Donald Trump had ordered to be dismantled.

U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga in Virginia previously issued an administrative stay to pause the firings following a lawsuit filed by career intelligence officers who had been assigned to DEIA-related assignments temporarily within the CIA and the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).