By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
A right-wing nonprofit backing Donald Trump has published the names and photos of more than 50 federal employees, many of them Black, in a move that civil rights advocates warn could endanger lives and deepen systemic discrimination in government agencies. The “D.E.I. bureaucrat watch list,” compiled by the American Accountability Foundation, identifies workers based on their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) initiatives, past social media activity, or donations to Democratic candidates.
The employees—many of them serving at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal health agencies—have been labeled by the organization as “woke D.E.I. devotees” and targets for termination under Trump’s administration. The group claims these individuals are “anti-American bad actors.” The organization has circulated dossiers detailing their purported offenses, which include reposting content about racial disparities in healthcare or making critical remarks about Trump’s policies.
Supporters of the targeted workers have expressed alarm, warning that the public identification of government employees in this manner could lead to harassment, violence, and job loss. One federal employee, whose name appeared on the list, told The New York Times, “My name and picture are out there. In 2025, it’s very simple to Google and look up someone’s home address. What happens next?” Another individual described the move to NBC News as “psychological warfare” against civil servants simply trying to do their jobs.
The list is part of a broader right-wing effort to dismantle diversity programs and purge public institutions of individuals seen as obstacles to Trump’s agenda. The American Accountability Foundation, founded in 2020 to undermine the Biden-Harris administration, has ramped up its efforts since Trump’s return to power along with Elon Musk. The organization has been financially backed by groups like the Heritage Foundation, which authored the Project 2025 blueprint that outlines an aggressive strategy to reshape the federal government along far-right ideological lines.
Thomas Jones, president of the American Accountability Foundation, admitted in an interview with The New York Times that his group did not attempt to verify the employment status of those it targeted or reach out for comment before compiling the list. “I’m busy; I’ve got a lot of stuff to do,” Jones stated when asked about the lack of verification efforts.
Civil rights leaders and legal experts say the move reflects a growing trend in which Trump-aligned organizations seek to eliminate diversity-focused policies and intimidate those advocating for equity. “This is a scare tactic to intimidate people from doing their jobs,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, in comments reported by NBC News. “It’s clear racism.”
The federal employees on the list are not high-level policymakers but career professionals in public health, research, and regulatory affairs. Some were singled out for social media posts made years before they entered government service. Others were flagged for professional work aimed at addressing racial disparities in healthcare—a field backed by decades of research showing systemic disadvantages for Black, Latino, and low-income communities in medical treatment and health outcomes.
The move is consistent with Trump’s broader crackdown on diversity initiatives, which he has labeled a form of discrimination against white Americans. His allies in Congress have used similar rhetoric, disparaging Vice President Kamala Harris as a “D.E.I. hire” and insisting that affirmative action and diversity programs unfairly favor minorities. Trump has refused to disavow these remarks and has framed his dismantling of federal D.E.I. offices as “the most important federal civil rights measure in decades.”
Musk, meanwhile, has provided a platform for Trump’s anti-diversity rhetoric through his control of X (formerly Twitter). His rollback of content moderation policies has led to a resurgence of far-right extremism and disinformation, further fueling efforts to discredit D.E.I. and intimidate those who support it.
Legal experts warn that publicly outing government employees for their beliefs and professional work sets a dangerous precedent. “Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t about policy. They are a sanitized substitute for the racist comments that can no longer be spoken openly,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center, in remarks published by The New York Times. “But the message is the same: that Black and brown Americans are inherently less capable, and if they hold positions of power, the standards must have been lowered.”
The publication of the list raises concerns that government employees will face increased threats, harassment, and job insecurity. As Trump and his allies push forward with their broader agenda of eliminating diversity programs and reshaping the federal workforce, many fear that this is only the beginning of a more extensive purge.
“This is a return to blacklisting,” said Timothy Welbeck, director of Temple University’s Center for Anti-Racism, in comments reported by NBC News. “From McCarthy-era tactics to modern-day doxxing, the goal remains the same: silence opposition and dismantle diversity efforts.”
