&w=3840&q=100)
Pentagon orders removal of books on diversity, anti-racism, gender issues
It is the broadest and most detailed directive so far on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's campaign to rid the military of diversity and equity programmes, policies and instructional materials
AP Washington
The Pentagon has ordered all military leaders and commands to pull and review all of their library books that address diversity, anti-racism or gender issues by May 21, according to a memo issued to the force on Friday.
It is the broadest and most detailed directive so far on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's campaign to rid the military of diversity and equity programmes, policies and instructional materials. And it follows similar efforts to remove hundreds of books from the libraries at the military academies.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the memo, which was signed Friday by Timothy Dill, who is performing the duties of the defence undersecretary for personnel.
Educational materials at the libraries promoting divisive concepts and gender ideology are incompatible with the Department's core mission, the memo states, adding that department leaders must promptly identify books that are not compatible with that mission and sequester them by May 21.
By then, the memo says, additional guidance will be provided on how to cull that initial list and determine what should be removed and determine an appropriate ultimate disposition for those materials. It does not say what will happen to the books or whether they will be stored away or destroyed.
According to the memo, a temporary Academic Libraries Committee set up by the department will provide information on the review and decisions about the books. That panel provided a list of search terms to use in the initial identification of the books to be pulled and reviewed.
The search terms include: affirmative action, anti-racism, critical race theory, discrimination, diversity, gender dysphoria, gender identity and transition, transgender, transsexual and white privilege.
Early last month the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Hegseth's office to get rid of those that promote DEI.
About two weeks later, the Army and Air Force libraries were told to go through their stacks to find books related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Naval Academy's purge led to the removal of books on the Holocaust, histories of feminism, civil rights and racism, and Maya Angelou's famous autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," based on the list of 381 books that have been taken out of its library.
In addition to Angelou's award-winning book, the list includes Memorializing the Holocaust, which deals with Holocaust memorials; Half American, about African Americans in World War II; A Respectable Woman, about the public roles of African American women in 19th century New York; and Pursuing Trayvon Martin, about the 2012 shooting of the Black 17-year-old boy in Florida that raised questions about racial profiling.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'We want it now!': Democrats grill Pete Hegseth over details of Air Force's Qatar jet deal
The US and Qatar have yet to sign a memorandum of understanding for a luxury jumbo jet gifted by the Gulf country that President Donald Trump wants for Air Force One, his top defense chief told senators on Wednesday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also said he's unaware of any contract being executed with a US firm to retrofit the Boeing Co. 747-8, which would need sophisticated defense and communications systems to protect the president. He also declined to provide a cost estimate, which the top Air Force official earlier this week said would be less than $400 million. Show more Show less


India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Trump deployed more troops to Los Angeles than Syria, Iraq combined: Report
US President Donald Trump has sent more military personnel to Los Angeles to handle protests than the number of troops currently deployed in Iraq and Syria combined. According to US Army Major General Scott Sherman, more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines have been deployed in the city, bringing the total number to approximately 4,700. In comparison, according to publicly reported Pentagon figures, there are about 2,000 US troops in Syria and 2,500 in deployment came as a response to violent protests after Trump's aggressive immigration raids. This comparison of troop counts was first reported by ABC News. The Pentagon said that deploying National Guard troops and US Marines to Los Angeles will cost an estimated $134 million over 60 days. Moreover, according to the report, the Department of Homeland Security has proposed deploying more than 20,000 additional National Guard troops to support Trump's immigration crackdown. This would cost an estimated $3.6 billion over the course of one CAN DETAIN INDIVIDUALS AS PROTESTS ENTER SIXTH DAYUS troops deployed to Los Angeles have been given permission to arrest people until local police can formally arrest them, according to the news agency Reuters. The announcement comes as hundreds of Marines prepare to enter the city, which has now seen six consecutive days of protests, initially concentrated in California, have quickly spread across the United States. Demonstrators are rallying against overly aggressive immigration PRESENCE HEATS UP POLITICAL TENSIONSCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom lashed out at President Trump's decision to send troops into Los Angeles. Despite his objections, the Trump administration moved forward. In response, California state filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the deployment of troops."This action is an abuse of federal power and a dangerous precedent," a spokesperson for Newsom to the Pentagon, in addition to protecting government buildings and personnel, it will safeguard Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during posted photos online on Tuesday of National Guard troops standing guard with weapons in hand as ICE officers handcuffed apparent migrants against the side of a car in Los 1878 law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law ON THE NEED FOR TROOPSPresident Trump has defended the troop presence. He said that it has prevented the situation in Los Angeles from escalating into full-scale violence. "Without the military, things would have been far worse," he said earlier this local leaders, including Governor Newsom and Los Angeles officials, have pushed back. "There is no need for this level of military force in our communities," Newsom said in a televised address. "This is about controlling people, not protecting them."With inputs from ReutersMust Watch


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
'keeping Americans safe, both at home & abroad': Why US is pulling staff from the Middle East as nuclear talks with Iran stall
The United States is reducing its diplomatic and military footprint in parts of the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, as nuclear negotiations appear to stall and regional instability looms. The State Department on Wednesday ordered the departure of all nonessential staff from the US Embassy in Baghdad, citing a commitment 'to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.' The embassy had already been operating with limited staff. Additionally, the State Department is authorising the optional departure of nonessential personnel and family members from diplomatic posts in Bahrain and Kuwait. The US military is also following suit, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth approving the voluntary departure of military dependents from multiple locations across the region. US Central Command said it is 'monitoring the developing tension.' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly noted that the decisions came after a regular review of American personnel abroad. 'This decision was made as a result of a recent review,' she said. The move comes as efforts to revive the stalled US-Iran nuclear negotiations face fresh setbacks. Talks aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanction relief have reportedly reached a deadlock, with the next round—originally planned for this weekend in Oman—now in doubt. Two US officials, speaking anonymously, said it was increasingly unlikely the talks would go ahead. President Donald Trump offered a pessimistic assessment in a recent interview, saying he is 'getting more and more less confident about' reaching a deal. 'They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame,' he told the New York Post podcast Pod Force One. Iran, meanwhile, rejected threats of force. 'Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability,' its mission to the UN wrote online. Defence Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh added that if war were imposed, 'the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours,' warning the US that its regional bases 'are within our reach.' Separately, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors is considering a censure resolution against Iran, which could trigger the reimposition of UN sanctions under the still-active 2015 nuclear deal. The US withdrew from that deal during Trump's first term. Amid the growing risk of conflict, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations Centre warned ships to exercise caution in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman—areas where Iran has previously seized or attacked vessels.