The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is facing accusations of sidestepping President Trump's directive to put all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) employees on paid leave. The controversy stems from the agency's apparent renaming of its former chief diversity officer, Lisa T. Boykin, to "senior executive" on the ATF website. This change occurred shortly after Trump's inauguration and his executive order to eliminate DEI programs within the federal government.

Missouri Representative Eric Burlison criticized the ATF on social media, accusing them of defying the president's order and operating above the law. Archived versions of the ATF website confirm that Boykin was listed as chief diversity officer as recently as Tuesday, January 21st, 2025, coinciding with Trump's second day in office. The subsequent change to "senior executive" has raised concerns about the agency's compliance with the executive order.

President Donald Trump signing executive orders. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump's executive order mandates the termination of all DEI programs and activities within the federal government. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) subsequently directed agencies to shut down DEI offices and place employees on paid administrative leave. The OPM directive, obtained by Fox News Digital, explicitly instructs agencies to notify DEIA employees of their immediate paid leave status.

Lisa T. Boykin's official ATF photo. (ATF)

Boykin's 2023 biography indicates that she served as the ATF’s Human Resources Operations Division starting in 2016 and took on the chief diversity officer role in 2021, eventually transitioning to a full-time capacity. An ATF spokesperson stated that the agency is complying with the Trump administration's DEI directives and has taken necessary steps, including placing relevant personnel on administrative leave. However, the spokesperson did not clarify whether Boykin's title change exempts her from this leave.

The ATF seal. (Ted Soqui/Corbis via Getty Images)

Attempts by Fox News Digital to contact Boykin for comment received an automatic out-of-office reply. The situation has sparked criticism on social media, with accusations that the ATF is circumventing the president's orders. This incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding DEI programs in government agencies, particularly in light of the contrasting approaches taken by the Trump and Biden administrations.