Hegseth Declares End of Social Justice and DEI at Military Academies

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wasted no time making good on his promise to rid the U.S. military of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, declaring that service academies will now return to their core mission producing warriors, not activists.

Hegseth announced the move Sunday with a post on X, sharing a photo of his meeting with leadership from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. His message was crystal clear:

• Military academies must focus on leadership, excellence, and warfighting not social justice activism.

• DEI initiatives are being stripped out, while history, engineering, and war studies are being restored.

• The Pentagon’s priority is now readiness, standards, and combat effectiveness, not leftist ideology.

“These are MILITARY ACADEMIES, not civilian universities,” Hegseth emphasized, adding that he was impressed with the reforms already underway. “Social Justice and DEI are OUT; History, Engineering, and War Studies are IN.”

Hegseth has been outspoken about the damage DEI policies have done to military readiness. In his book The War On Warriors, he detailed how leftist ideology had infected the armed forces, undermining discipline, merit, and the warrior ethos. Now, as Defense Secretary, he is putting words into action.

William Thibeau, director of the Claremont Institute’s American Military Project and an Army Ranger veteran, previously said Hegseth was the right man for the job. “He has a proper scope of the problem, and his independence is cause for optimism that he will not hold back in favor of potential future employment.”

This marks a major shift from the disastrous policies of the Biden era, which prioritized social experiments over military strength. With Hegseth leading the charge, the U.S. military is finally getting back to what it was meant to be a lethal fighting force prepared to defend this nation.

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