Donald Trump has accused the FBI of shuttering its controversial diverstiy, equity and inclusion office in an effort to conceal corruption within the department.

The President-elect launched a scathing attack of the department on Truth Social on Thursday night, demanding the FBI ‘preserve and retain all records, documents and information on the now closing DEI office.’

An FBI spokesperson told DailyMail.com earlier on Thursday that steps to close the office began weeks ago.

The closing of the DEI office just ahead of the president-elect’s swearing in signals that the FBI is anticipating reforms from the incoming administration when MAGA diehard Kash Patel is expected to take over. 

But Trump said the office ‘never should have been opened and, if it was, should have closed long ago.’

‘Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration?  The reason is, CORRUPTION!’

In 2015, the FBI added ‘diversity’ as a ‘core value’ of the organization, insisting it was ‘committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace.’

The DEI website stated: ‘We believe that differences in thought and belief, in race and religion, in orientation, and in ability contribute to more effective decision making, drive innovation, and enhance the employee experience.

‘We know that a more diverse workforce allows us to connect with and maintain the trust of the American people.

‘We also understand we have work to do. We stand committed, as today’s FBI, to fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity.

‘Our greatest asset is our people and they are imperative to ensuring the FBI can build trust, uphold the Constitution, and serve all communities.’

But the DEI has been the target of multiple complaints and concerns, particularly among Republicans who fear the prioritization of inclusion and diversity over merit and ability has been detrimental.   

Trump himself has said DEI within federal departments would be on the chopping block once he was back in the White House.

‘I will end all of the Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the entire federal government immediately,’ Trump said in December. 

The FBI has also been the object of Republican ire since Trump decried the department of being politicized in the wake of his ‘Russiagate’ investigation. 

To solve what Trump and his allies perceive as widespread corruption and stagnation at the FBI, the president-elect nominated conservative prosecutor and former Trump administration official Kash Patel to lead the spy agency. 

Patel said last year he wants to ‘shut down’ the FBI’s D.C. headquarters and then ‘reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.” 

The FBI’s DEI office sparked controversy for suggesting the law enforcement agency is not focused solely on the protection of American citizens, Republicans said.  

Highlighting those concerns, Sen. Marsha Blackburn wrote a letter earlier this month to FBI Director Christopher Wray slamming the ‘radical’ internal office. 

‘I am deeply concerned that—under your leadership—the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people,’ she wrote.

‘A recent report, drafted by a group of retired FBI agents for the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, indicates that ‘the law enforcement and intelligence capabilities of the FBI are degrading because the FBI is no longer hiring ‘the best and the brightest’ candidates,” it continued. 

Specifically, Blackburn expressed concern about the FBI’s performance in the wake of the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Years Day.

‘Your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded,’ she wrote. 

Trump will officially take office on Monday afternoon.