Black agent’s blunders provided anti-DEI fodder

The New Orleans terrorist attack left a trail of questions — not just about the incident itself, but about the FBI’s personnel and operations. A striking moment came early on when a Black female agent led the first press conference on the attack.

Her initial presence was refreshing, breaking from the traditional White, male image of FBI leadership. But she soon lost all credibility by declaring the attack was “not a terrorist event.” Anyone watching the nonstop coverage knew better. Worse, her delivery was soporific, reinforcing the impression she didn’t know what she was talking about.

Yet, what really rubbed viewers the wrong way was the ring in her left nostril. It glistened like a friggin’ strobe light and blatantly violated the FBI’s long-established dress code.

Now, let me hasten to note that this no-nose-ring rule is every bit as fuddy-duddy as Wimbledon’s white-clothes-only rule. But have you ever seen Serena saunter onto Centre Court wearing black?

The point here, of course, is that this agent chose a profession where she personifies law and order. Yet here she is, refusing to obey the FBI’s own rules.

Don’t send a Black woman to do a White man’s job?

Frankly, never before had an FBI agent represented the agency so poorly at a press conference. So, it was no surprise when a White agent replaced her the next day. What was surprising – and encouraging –  was that a Black male agent then replaced him and remained the special agent in charge at press conferences thereafter.

One can well imagine the internal debates this episode incited – about competence, representation, and, yes, DEI politics. But kudos to the agency for correcting the untenable optics of replacing her with a White agent in majority-Black New Orleans.

The public trust

Of course, no press conference after a terrorist attack has ever prevented another. But there’s no denying that the optics of competence and professionalism boost public trust in law enforcement.

After all, in moments of crisis, leadership isn’t just about making the right decisions — it’s about sending the right message. In its initial press conference, the FBI failed to do both.