A government watchdog group, Protect The Public’s Trust (PPT), obtained documents showing that President Joe Biden’s 2021 memorandum on “scientific integrity” relied on a 2022 framework that embedded DEIA initiatives as central to federal science policy. The memo, titled Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking, instructed agencies to uphold scientific integrity—but the accompanying framework emphasized that promoting DEIA was “equally important” to maintaining research standards.

“Once again we find more evidence that the Biden administration’s commitment to science was not nearly as strong as its commitment to its politics,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Science must help us discover all the truths of the natural world. That is simply not possible when it is hemmed in by political fads.”

The framework, intended for internal agency use, linked DEIA objectives with scientific integrity, suggesting that transparency, safe workplaces, and inclusivity were integral to research success. It outlined potential metrics for federal agencies, including evaluating whether policies “reflect DEIA as a critical component.” The Biden Subcommittee on Scientific Integrity was tasked with advising agencies on these issues, including engagement with underserved communities.

Critics argue that these documents reveal a prioritization of ideological goals over unbiased research. PPT contended that DEIA benchmarks directly conflicted with Biden’s directive that scientific findings “should never be distorted or influenced by political considerations.”

While the Biden administration advanced DEI-focused science initiatives, the Trump administration emphasized “gold standard science” and refocusing agencies on their core missions, reflecting a sharp contrast in federal approaches to policy and research oversight.