- The U.S. Naval Academy removed nearly 400 books from its library as part of a broader effort to comply with a Pentagon directive targeting DEI materials. Other service academies, including the Air Force Academy and West Point, were also instructed to review their library content.
- The Pentagon’s memo, “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” directed agencies to conduct a digital content update, removing works tied to race-based preferences and DEI initiatives.
- The move has sparked criticism for removing historical content, including works on Jackie Robinson and the Tuskegee Airmen.
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The U.S. Naval Academy has removed close to 400 books from its library as part of an ongoing effort to comply with President Trump’s executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies, including curriculum or content.
U.S. Naval Academy removes nearly 400 books
The books were removed as part of a broader initiative directed by the Pentagon to eliminate materials linked to DEI initiatives across federal agencies. The U.S. Naval Academy identified and removed works related to DEI, restricting student access to those materials. It’s unclear if Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave the direct order.
A U.S. official confirmed to The Associated Press the academy was ordered to remove all such books just days before Hegseth’s scheduled visit this week.
In addition to the Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, also received orders to review their library content for DEI-related material.
The Associated Press reported a media outlet discovered the academies had not fully complied with the Trump administration’s directive to remove books encouraging DEI.
Warning given to other colleges, schools by Trump administration
In February, the Trump administration sent a memo to colleges and K-12 schools, warning they could lose federal funding if they continued to implement race-based preferences in admissions, scholarships, or other areas of student life. It remains unclear whether the Naval Academy, an undergraduate college, received the same directive, or if other service academies preparing students for active duty were also affected.
Pentagon clarifies DEI content removal
By the end of March, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the department was taking a strong stance in following the directives of both President Trump and Hegseth.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken action to identify and archive DEI content from our websites and social media platforms,” Parnell said in a clarification video.
The move sparked criticism from lawmakers, military leaders and the public, particularly for the removal of historical accounts and stories of military heroes. Some notable figures, including baseball player and civil rights symbol Jackie Robinson and the Tuskegee Airmen, were among the content removed, only to be restored later.
“We want to be very, very clear: history is not DEI,” Parnell explained, referring to the content purge.
Memorandum to remove DEI content
The Pentagon’s memorandum, titled “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” provided guidance for conducting a digital content update across the department’s platforms. Officials were given until March 5 to remove content related to preferential treatment based on sex, race, ethnicity or other DEI-related matters.
