The Pentagon has instructed military leaders to erase and assess all library books related to diversity, anti-racism, or gender issues within a two-week timeframe, as outlined in a new memo released on Friday.
This directive, signed by Secretary of Defense Timothy Dill, represents a significant step in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ongoing campaign to eliminate diversity and equity programs, policies, and reading materials from the military.
Earlier this spring, the US Naval Academy removed around 400 books promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from its libraries following a review.
However, this new directive expands that initiative, requiring all military educational institutions—like war colleges and service academies—to “identify library materials that may contradict our core mission” and segregate those items accordingly by May 21.
Additionally, Hegseth indicated that students at service academies would be recognized “only based on merit,” explicitly stating that race, ethnicity, or gender would not be considered. Institutions are tasked with meeting these standards within the next 30 days.
“This will ensure that only the most qualified candidates are acknowledged and groomed to lead the most capable combat forces in history,” Hegseth stated. He warned that choosing based on anything other than merit could weaken military readiness and degrade the culture of excellence.
Criteria may include unique athletic talent, prior military service, or attendance at military prep schools, and the school must evaluate students based on “merit-based scores” in each nomination category. This encompasses students appointed by a vice president, senator, or congressional members, as well as those whose parents have military ties.
This directive continues the Trump administration’s broader effort to strip federal-wide DEI content, which includes initiatives to remove such content from defense-related websites and social media platforms.
The initiative faced considerable backlash due to concerns over the removal of historical references to military figures like Jackie Robinson, Japanese-American veterans, Navajo Code Talkers, Army General Charles C. Rogers, and Medal of Honor recipients. Officials later admitted that these removals were misguided and were reversed.
Currently, a temporary academic library committee has been established, composed of knowledgeable leaders, educators, and library experts from the military, to guide the review process for the flagged books.
The committee has provided a list of search terms used to identify the books under scrutiny, including topics related to positive behavior, alliances, anti-racism, critical race theory, and gender identity.
The panel will recommend which books should be discarded and provide further guidance on the appropriate disposal methods for these materials.
While not all flagged books are expected to be removed, the Naval Academy identified approximately 900 for review, with 381 already taken out of circulation.
However, this action included works on feminism, racism, civil rights history, and notable autobiographies, such as one by a Black soldier from World War II and Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
