Senator Marsha Blackburn has launched a pointed attack on FBI Director Christopher Wray, linking the Bureau’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives to a perceived decline in national security, citing the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans as a prime example. Blackburn’s letter to Wray, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, expresses deep concern that the FBI’s focus on DEI has come at the expense of its core mission: protecting the American people. The senator’s argument hinges on the premise that the FBI’s pursuit of diversity has led to a decline in the quality of its agents, thereby compromising the agency’s ability to prevent and respond to terrorist threats.
The New Orleans attack, where a suspect drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring 30, serves as the backdrop for Blackburn’s critique. While the FBI initially stated the incident was not terrorism, they later retracted this statement, confirming the discovery of an ISIS flag in the suspect’s vehicle. This initial mischaracterization, coupled with the horrific nature of the attack, fueled Blackburn’s accusations that the FBI’s priorities are misplaced. She points to a report by retired FBI agents alleging a decline in the quality of new recruits, suggesting that DEI initiatives have prioritized representation over competence.
Blackburn’s letter highlights several instances that she believes demonstrate the FBI’s misplaced focus on DEI. She cites the appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer in 2021, a “Diversity Agent Recruiting Event” held by the New Orleans field office, and a social media post by the same office boasting about the number of bracelets collected by agents. These examples, according to Blackburn, illustrate a “tone deafness” and a prioritization of “politics, pop culture, or almost anything else” over the FBI’s core mission. This alleged shift in focus, she argues, has directly contributed to a rise in national security threats and has left Americans feeling increasingly unsafe.
Furthermore, the senator’s letter directly challenges Wray’s leadership, suggesting that his emphasis on DEI has “endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans.” She contrasts this with the anticipated leadership of President Trump’s nominee, Kash Patel, whom she believes will restore “law and order” to the nation. Blackburn’s letter concludes with a series of pointed questions directed at Wray, demanding transparency regarding the FBI’s DEI practices. She requests information on the number of employees hired based on DEI initiatives, the funding allocated to these initiatives, and the number of individuals hired as a result of the New Orleans diversity recruiting event.
Blackburn’s line of questioning further probes the potential impact of DEI initiatives on national security. She asks whether the FBI has terminated any agents involved in counterterrorism or intelligence operations and challenges Wray’s agreement with a statement by FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil that staff diversity is the agency’s most valuable resource for keeping Americans safe. This direct challenge underscores Blackburn’s central argument that the FBI’s emphasis on diversity has compromised its ability to effectively combat terrorism.
The senator’s letter sets a deadline of January 10 for Wray to respond to her inquiries, emphasizing the urgency of the matter and the public’s right to know the extent to which DEI initiatives have potentially impacted national security. This aggressive timeline reflects Blackburn’s determination to hold the FBI accountable for what she perceives as a dangerous deviation from its core mission. By connecting the New Orleans attack to her broader critique of the FBI’s DEI policies, Blackburn seeks to portray these initiatives as a direct threat to American safety and security. This strategy is clearly intended to resonate with a segment of the population concerned about the perceived prioritization of diversity over competence within federal law enforcement.
