The FBI closed the DEI office in December, according to the agency

EXCLUSIVE: The FBI has closed its DEI office, Fox News can confirm.

“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective December 2024,” the agency told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

The agency did not specify why it had closed the office, though many Republicans have criticized it for prioritizing DEI, saying it had overshadowed national security.

Earlier this month, Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn sent a letter to Christopher Wray, Director of the FBI claiming that DEI’s “radical” practices had “endangered” Americans after the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

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The J. Edgar Hoover Building, home of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is pictured on October 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

“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,” Balckburn wrote in the letter from January 3 after referring to the attack.

The FBI’s diversity and inclusion page, which was still on its website as of Thursday, says the agency is “committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce. In 2015, the FBI added the diversity as one of the fundamental values ​​of the organization.

He continued: “We believe that differences in thought and belief, race and religion, orientation and ability contribute to more effective decision-making, drive innovation and improve the employee experience. We know that a workforce more diverse allows us to Connect and maintain the trust of the American people We also understand that we have a commitment, as today’s FBI, to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity.

Former FBI Special Agent Nicole Parker told Fox News Digital: “I appreciate all forms of diversity. Make no mistake about it. What I don’t appreciate is when there’s a constant push to weaponize social justice in the FBI whose top priorities are protecting the American people and defending the constitution.”

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This is President Biden’s last week in office. President-elect Trump will take office on Monday.