Within hours of being returned to the White House on Monday, Donald Trump set his America first agenda roaring into motion, predicated on a network of snitches to rout out the “enemies from within”.

With the firm stroke of each black fountain pen, the new US president signed a series of executive orders aimed at granting him more control over the federal bureaucracy and dismantling what he calls the “deep state”.

In addition to piling on the legislative pressure, Mr Trump is encouraging federal employees to turn on those that disobey his decree and snitch on them.

Memos sent across agencies this week encouraged staff to report any colleague continuing to pursue now-banned diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, warning of “adverse consequences” for federal workers attempting to continue their so-called ‘woke’ work.

“We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programmes by using coded or imprecise language,” the letters read.

“These programmes divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”