The U.S. Naval Academy has announced the end of its affirmative action policies in admissions and has begun reviewing books in its library as part of the broader effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government. These actions align with directives from the Trump administration, which has sought to remove what it describes as “radical indoctrination” from government institutions, including military academies.  

 

According to a federal court filing submitted on Friday, the Naval Academy has officially stopped considering race, ethnicity, and sex in its admissions process. The change, which was implemented in February, follows federal directives prohibiting the use of such criteria. The academy had previously defended affirmative action as essential to maintaining diversity and national security, but the new policy reversal marks a departure from that stance. The revised admissions guidance, issued internally on February 14, was reaffirmed this week by Vice Admiral Yvette M. David, the superintendent of the Naval Academy, during her testimony before a subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “At no time are race, sex or ethnicity considered in the qualification of a candidate,” she stated.  

 

Additionally, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Naval Academy to identify and remove books related to DEI themes from its Nimitz Library. This directive came after the Pentagon discovered that military service academies had not applied President Trump’s January 29 executive order—intended to eliminate “radical indoctrination” in K-12 classrooms—to their own institutions. A defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Mr. Hegseth’s office clarified that the order does, in fact, apply to service academies and that compliance is expected.  

 

“The U.S. Naval Academy is fully committed to executing and implementing all directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president and is currently reviewing the Nimitz Library collection to ensure compliance,” said Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, a Navy spokesman. “The Navy is carrying out these actions with utmost professionalism, efficiency, and in alignment with national security objectives.”  

 

The Nimitz Library, which houses approximately 590,000 print books and thousands of other resources, has already identified 900 titles that may be removed under the defense secretary’s order. According to another defense official, some of these books include *The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.*, *Einstein on Race and Racism*, and a biography of Jackie Robinson.  

 

Mr. Hegseth is scheduled to visit the Naval Academy on Tuesday to address the Brigade of Midshipmen, though it remains unclear whether he expects the book removals to be completed before his arrival. Meanwhile, defense officials have not confirmed whether similar orders have been issued to other military academies, including West Point, the Air Force Academy, and the Coast Guard Academy, or to military graduate institutions such as the Naval War College and the Army’s Command and General Staff College.

 

Based on a report by NYT  2025-03-31

 

 

Banning and burning books -- a specialty of authoritarian leaders throughout ages. These maga fascists are the same people who say they're for free speech. 

Diversity = anti white male policy to recruit blacks, gays, trans and women even when less able and qualified, nobody reads books these days anyway.

Good move. Thank you Mr. Trump.

We don't need no stinkin DEI. Let us return to the days of yore when blacks were to be cooks/mess employed, and there were no stinkin female midshipmen. For those ignorant of history there was a need for forcing change against the "redlining", lynchings, education segregation, etc. Yes, I would agree, there should be no racial, ethnic, sexual, etc. discrimination in the USA but ... anyone ready to deny that white males appear to be attempting to turn back to their historic hold as they become increasingly a minority feeling they are being discriminated against? Should we expect any difference from the earlier minority reactions against feeling discriminated against? Never mind that a little thought makes one face the reality of difference in the circumstances. Get back to me when we see white males being lynched, being limited in the Navy to serving in mess roles, to hitting a "glass ceiling" forbidding white males becoming officers or heads of corporations ...

6 hours ago, proton said:

Diversity = anti white male policy to recruit blacks, gays, trans and women even when less able and qualified, nobody reads books these days anyway.

If nobody reads books, why the fascist obsession on banning books the fascists don't like,

You're for free speech or you're not.

I'm guessing you're not. 

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Good move. Thank you Mr. Trump.

Oh yes, I thank you Trump as you are forcing more around the globe to face the worst of the American character. many have observed but have also faced some good along the way from Americans. thank, so much, of removing any of our saving graces ...

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If nobody reads books, why the fascist obsession on banning books the fascists don't like,

You're for free speech or you're not.

I'm guessing you're not. 

 

We need to know what the books are, some filth needs to be banned, no country allows everything on the shelves

12 minutes ago, proton said:

 

We need to know what the books are, some filth needs to be banned, no country allows everything on the shelves

Just stop it!

Did you read the news here?!?

They aim to remove anything they think is so called DEI.

You know. Like pictures of the Enola Gay.

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Banning and burning books -- a specialty of authoritarian leaders throughout ages. These maga fascists are the same people who say they're for free speech. 

I didn't see anything about "burning books" in the article.  I guess you just saw the name Trump and went off into another of your foolish rants.  

13 minutes ago, kimothai said:

I didn't see anything about "burning books" in the article.  I guess you just saw the name Trump and went off into another of your foolish rants.  

The only foolish rants are from those who don't understand the metaphor meant by "burning books." Seems you made precious little use of those things called books.

3 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

The only foolish rants are from those who don't understand the metaphor meant by "burning books." Seems you made precious little use of those things called books.

I'm not ranting.  If you are going to use metaphors say so.  Speaking of books, I have little use for the books that promote DEI.  You can double down on that s**t if you want.  Nobody is listening.  You are just car alarm that nobody is paying attention to.

1 hour ago, kimothai said:

I didn't see anything about "burning books" in the article.  I guess you just saw the name Trump and went off into another of your foolish rants.  

If you ban them they're gone so may as well burn them.

24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If you ban them they're gone so may as well burn them.

But they are only banning from the Nimitz (Military Acadamy) Library.  Guessing you could go to other libraries?  Online?  Most likely the Library of Congress.

33 minutes ago, kimothai said:

But they are only banning from the Nimitz (Military Acadamy) Library.  Guessing you could go to other libraries?  Online?  Most likely the Library of Congress.

Not only.

Everywhere they can get their vile fascist paws on.

3 hours ago, Wrwest said:

Oh yes, I thank you Trump as you are forcing more around the globe to face the worst of the American character. many have observed but have also faced some good along the way from Americans. thank, so much, of removing any of our saving graces ...

C'mon stay focused. Diversity policies have no place in the military.

 

Illegal Border crossing apprehensions dropped to a trickle.

Goodbye DEI. Welcome back misogyny and racism, we've missed you.

48 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

C'mon stay focused. Diversity policies have no place in the military.

 

Illegal Border crossing apprehensions dropped to a trickle.

Exactly! Blacks need to get back in the kitchen as cooks. You CAN'T have them sitting as equals next to White Christian Nationalists (or Nat-C's for short) in the chow halls.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Not only.

Everywhere they can get their vile fascist paws on.

That's just your opinion which you are entitled.  I'm only commenting on this article which only pertains to a private military library.  You can still go to a public library and get your DEI rubbish if that's your thing.

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Exactly! Blacks need to get back in the kitchen as cooks. You CAN'T have them sitting as equals next to White Christian Nationalists (or Nat-C's for short) in the chow halls.

Sarcasm I hope

10 hours ago, yardrunner said:

Sarcasm I hope

 

I forget some of the audience on this forum aren't playing with a full deck of cards, so HELL yes this is sarcasm.

Does this mean the Navy will be removing all their "Golden Rivets" on all there Ships as well?

I'll volunteer to collect them,

 

15 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Exactly! Blacks need to get back in the kitchen as cooks. You CAN'T have them sitting as equals next to White Christian Nationalists (or Nat-C's for short) in the chow halls.

This is about an Academy. Shouldn't the best and brightest be leaders. Whatever color the best is.

On 3/31/2025 at 1:02 PM, Social Media said:

The academy had previously defended affirmative action as essential to maintaining diversity and national security, but the new policy reversal marks a departure from that stance.

Just goes to show how an institution that should ONLY recruit the best can be contaminated by loony politics.

 

Something that hasn't been given much airtime is how it is affecting anyone from a minority or a female, knowing they only got accepted because of their ethnicity or gender. Whether they would have  been selected anyway will never be known, and they must live knowing that they likely were given their position over a far better qualified candidate.

 

The very real danger in the future is that a Democrat POTUS may bring back DEI.

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

This is about an Academy. Shouldn't the best and brightest be leaders. Whatever color the best is.

It's sad that some posters apparently want to be defended by a second or third rate officer.

8 hours ago, Jeff the Chef said:

Does this mean the Navy will be removing all their "Golden Rivets" on all there Ships as well?

I'll volunteer to collect them,

 

They don't rivet ships any more. Try and keep up.

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

This is about an Academy. Shouldn't the best and brightest be leaders. Whatever color the best is.

They fired the highest ranked military man cuz he was black and don't even TRY to deny it.

Hegseth, Waltz, Noem - you're trying to say they're the best and brightest?

Sorry, be it a white robe or a red MAGADI hat, all cut from the same cloth.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

They don't rivet ships any more. Try and keep up.

 

Didn't you get the joke?

      Scary.  It's all scary these days.  How could anyone object to having a biography of Jackie Robinson in a library?   Or the autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.?   

15 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

They fired the highest ranked military man cuz he was black and don't even TRY to deny it.

Hegseth, Waltz, Noem - you're trying to say they're the best and brightest?

Sorry, be it a white robe or a red MAGADI hat, all cut from the same cloth.

You're mad if you think being black is ever a reason for being fired in the military.