As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20, the federal government anticipates significant policy changes and shifts in government language.
References to climate change, “undocumented immigrants,” and “non-citizens” may be replaced with terms like “illegal aliens,” while mentions of LGBTQ rights could be minimized or removed from official government websites and documents, experts suggest.
Initially, researchers anticipated more subtle changes in language, such as shifting from “impacts” to “effects” of climate change, explained Gretchen Gehrke, Website Monitoring Program Lead at the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative. However, what predominantly occurred was direct deletion and suppression of information, she noted.
This time, Gehrke and other advocates expect even more drastic changes, potentially affecting references to climate change, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Such alterations could extend beyond semantics, signaling a significant shift in approach.
Gehrke emphasized the importance of explicitly discussing carbon emissions and methane rather than vague terms like “sustainability.” “We can’t address a problem we can’t name,” she stated.
A spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team declined to specify how references to climate change might be altered but highlighted his first-term achievements in energy and the environment. During Trump’s previous administration, climate change content was significantly reduced or removed from government websites, and information about international climate commitments was omitted, according to a 2018 report.
President Joe Biden’s administration later refocused on climate change and mitigation strategies, emphasizing environmental justice and using a scorecard to identify underserved communities for grant applications. Gehrke anticipates this tool may be removed immediately upon Trump’s return.
Her organization is monitoring around 5,000 URLs for changes, particularly regarding climate and environmental justice. They expect language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion to be stripped across agencies.
Regarding immigration, Trump’s administration might revert to using “illegal alien” instead of “undocumented immigrant” or “non-citizen.” Nayna Gupta, policy director at the American Immigration Council, warned that such terminology could criminalize and dehumanize undocumented immigrants, impacting refugee and asylum policies.
David Stacy, vice president of government affairs at the Human Rights Campaign, expressed concern over the potential erasure of LGBTQ references, particularly transgender issues. Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint, suggested removing terms like “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” from federal documents.
Leavitt reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to policies focusing on traditional education priorities and ending taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for federal inmates. Public opposition to some of these initiatives may temper their impact, but the administration’s stance remains firm.
