Pentagon officials and commanders were instructed on Friday to review all books related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as part of the military’s latest initiative against DEI content. They were tasked with quickly identifying materials that promote what the memo described as divisive concepts and gender ideology. Leaders were given a deadline of May 21st to remove said books.
On the same day, another memo directed military training academies to ensure that student assessments prioritize “racial, ethnicity, or gender only” despite acknowledging students’ unique athletic talents. The administration was asked to validate these standards by mid-June.
Similar directives had previously been sent to military academies, such as the US Naval Academy, which has already removed approximately 400 books from its library. The withdrawn titles included notable works like Maya Angelou’s *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings*, along with writings by various authors addressing themes of race and gender.
The Department also emphasized the need for universities and academies to reevaluate their collections and convened a temporary “Academic Library Committee” to facilitate this process. Libraries were instructed to use specific search terms like “positive behavior,” “anti-racism,” “critical race theory,” and “white privilege.”
This book removal policy extends to K-12 school libraries located at military bases globally. A list compiled by Dodea, the organization managing the Department of Defense’s educational programs, includes kids’ books that touch on LGBTQ+ issues and race.
The list features bestselling titles, including a memoir about a teenager who experienced significant events while riding a bus in Oakland, California, as reported by HuffPost. This compilation also includes various poetry and short story collections.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has committed to eliminating DEI influences from the Pentagon, expressing his disdain for the phrase “our diversity is our strength,” calling it, in his words, “the stupidest phrase in military history.”
Since January, the Trump administration has orchestrated an extensive reduction of what it deems unnecessary DEI roles within the federal government. The exact number of eliminated positions remains unclear, as the government hasn’t tracked or reported this data adequately; however, estimates suggest that hundreds or possibly thousands of employees have been let go since the year began.
