GovernorVA/X
By Taryn Pedler
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Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has faced criticism after sharing a photograph of her Cabinet and describing it as the most diverse in the state's history, prompting commentator Katie Miller and billionaire Elon Musk to question the lack of white men pictured.
Spanberger shared the photograph on social media on Thursday, writing: "I'm proud to have the most talented, hardest-working cabinet in Virginia's history. They are also the most diverse cabinet Virginia has ever seen."
The Democratic governor's photo and the resulting criticism follow a broader political dispute over diversity, equity and inclusion, with the second Trump administration making it a priority to dismantle DEI initiatives on the federal level.
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What Spanberger Said About Cabinet Picks
Spanberger defended her appointments in the post, writing, "Every single one of our cabinet secretaries were selected because they're the best of the best in their respective fields."
She added that officials brought "invaluable perspectives from across the Commonwealth—from Danville, Hampton Roads, Richmond, NOVA, and more."
However, the photograph prompted criticism from conservative figures. Miller, who served as communications director to the vice president in the first Trump administration and is married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, pointed to the absence of white men among those pictured.
"30% of Virginia residents are White men. Zero represented here," Miller wrote. According to the U.S. Census Bureau white men make up 28 percent to 32 percent of Virginia's population.
"You are utterly racist and sexist regarding White men. Shame on you," Musk, who owns X and briefly headed the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, commented on Spanberger's post.
Newsweek has contacted Musk and Miller for comment via email.
The criticism has drawn attention to the composition of Spanberger's Cabinet and the extent to which the photograph represents its full membership.
A spokesperson for Spanberger's office told Newsweek the image was taken from a specific photo shoot for local Richmond publication Style Weekly and that "this is not a photo of her entire cabinet."
Who Is Missing From Spanberger’s Cabinet Photo?
Virginia's official government website lists Mark D. Sickles as secretary of finance and Nick M. Donohue as secretary of transportation.
Sickles took the oath of office on January 18, according to the Virginia Department of Finance, where he oversees four of the Commonwealth's main finance agencies. Newsweek has contacted Sickles and Donohue for comment via email.
The official Cabinet page also lists other secretaries who are not pictured, including Secretary of Labor Jessica K. Looman, Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David L. Bulova and Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Timothy P. Williams.
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The Trump Administration’s Anti-DEI Agenda
The Trump administration has moved to end DEI programs across federal agencies and among government contractors, arguing that such initiatives are discriminatory.
In October, the White House published a fact sheet titled "President Donald J. Trump Ended the Illegal and Discriminatory Practices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion," outlining the administration's position on its efforts to end what it describes as unlawful and discriminatory practices.
Those efforts include a January 2025 executive order, titled "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," that directed federal agencies to end what the administration considers unlawful DEI preferences and instructed the attorney general to develop an enforcement strategy targeting private-sector DEI programs. It also revoked previous federal affirmative-action requirements for government contractors.
The following month, the Department of Education issued guidance directing educational institutions receiving federal funding to stop using racial preferences and stereotypes in admissions, hiring, promotions, scholarships and other activities. It warned that institutions failing to comply could face investigations and potentially lose federal funding.
In March 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance warning employers that DEI policies could violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color and national origin.
The agencies said DEI initiatives could be unlawful if employment decisions were motivated, wholly or partly, by an applicant's or employee's protected characteristics.
Under Musk, DOGE also announced that it wanted to cancel 85 DEI contracts at more than 10 federal agencies, which it said would save the government about $1 billion.
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has long warned that Trump's approach threatens decades of progress on racial equality and civil rights protections.
In a July 2024 analysis of Trump's anti-DEI agenda, the organization said the Republican nominee would use federal legal and policy powers to challenge equal opportunity initiatives across government, education and the private sector.
The organization has argued that the broader anti-DEI movement risks undermining efforts to address historical discrimination and expand equal opportunities.
The movement has also reached state and local governments, with the ACLU noting that efforts to dismantle diversity initiatives have extended beyond federal agencies to programs operated by state and local authorities.
In Virginia, amid the debate over Spanberger's Cabinet, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has published an op-ed titled "In making history, Spanberger's cabinet defies anti-DEI fervor," discussing the significance of her appointments against the backdrop of opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Shakeema Edwards.
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