Pentagon commands DEI quotas disabled in service academies
(MENAFN) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) considerations from the admissions processes of all military service academies. In a directive signed Friday, Hegseth ordered that admissions decisions must now be based solely on merit, without regard to race, ethnicity, or gender. The academies have 30 days to comply with the new policy.
The order allows merit to include factors such as exceptional athletic ability, prior military service, and performance at military preparatory schools. Hegseth emphasized that selecting the most capable candidates is critical to maintaining military effectiveness and leadership standards. “Choosing anyone but the best weakens readiness, lethality, and our military culture of excellence,” he stated.
In a separate memo also issued Friday and obtained by the Associated Press, Hegseth directed military leaders to review and remove DEI-related materials from Pentagon libraries. The document called for the removal of books and content promoting “divisive concepts and gender ideology,” stating that such materials are incompatible with the Department of Defense’s mission. Leaders must identify and isolate these materials by May 21.
These directives are part of a broader push by President Donald Trump’s administration to strip DEI-related policies from the U.S. military. Upon returning to office in January, Trump signed an executive order titled Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness, which banned race- or gender-based preferences across all military personnel decisions, including recruitment and promotions.
The same order also banned transgender individuals from serving in the military and directed the dismissal of service members with a history of gender dysphoria. The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld the transgender service ban, reinforcing the administration’s stance.
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