The US Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library following instructions from the office of the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, to review and get rid of any that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to US officials on Tuesday. The academy was told late last week to conduct the review and removal, and completed the process before Hegseth’s planned visit on Tuesday, which was not connected to the library purge. Pulling the books is a further step in the Trump administration’s broader effort to eliminate so-called DEI content from federal agencies. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that all service academies are committed to implementing President Trump’s executive orders. While the academies are colleges and not included in the DEI ban for K-12 schools, the curriculum reviews have been completed. Hegseth has been pushing the department to erase DEI programs and online content, leading to criticism over the removal of military heroes and historical mentions from defense department websites and social media pages. The department has restored some of those posts following backlash. The confusion about the DEI policy was highlighted when Naval Academy personnel mistakenly removed photos of distinguished female Jewish graduates from a display case before Hegseth’s visit. The navy stated that it is aware of the unauthorized removal and will take steps to correct it.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/03/naval-academy-dei-books