Army Secretary Orders University Ban

Army Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that he is instituting a complete and immediate ban on Department of the Army personnel attending several universities, including Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Brown, and Yale, starting with the 2026-27 academic year. This decision reflects a broader policy that encompasses “many other universities” as well.

Hegseth criticized the higher education system, claiming it is “poisoned from within” by elite institutions that have misused their privileges and betrayed their intended purpose. This announcement follows a previous decision to prevent Harvard from enrolling active-duty military students starting next year, which he justified by accusing the university of misappropriating taxpayer dollars and fostering anti-American sentiments towards the military.

In his remarks, he stressed that some universities have shifted their focus from traditional educational values to promoting concepts like “awakenings” and “vulnerability,” which he described as more indoctrination than education. “This is not education. This is indoctrination,” he stated, expressing deep concerns about the ideological direction some institutions are taking.

He referenced the historical context, remarking that the Army has been financially supporting institutions that contribute to ideologies contrary to its mission and values. “We have paid the price for the privilege of teaching our future leaders the evil ideology of our enemy. Enough is enough,” Hegseth declared.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the Army intends to take responsibility by revamping the nation’s war university, ensuring it focuses on cultivating the most effective leaders and warfighters. “We cannot and will not send our most talented officers and senior officers into graduate programs that undermine the very values ​​they are sworn to uphold,” he concluded.