The reversal of diversity policies is part of Trump’s drive to “protect civil rights” and end what his administration has called “discriminatory initiatives.”

As the Trump administration aggressively seeks to “reduce the size of the federal government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition,” as expressed in an executive order on Monday, workers in targeted positions worry their jobs are particularly at risk of being changed or eliminated.

The executive order brings back "Schedule F," that allows many federal employees to be reclassified as political appointees, making it easier to remove workers deemed insufficiently loyal to his administration.