Naval Academy Purges Nearly 400 Books in DEI Crackdown Under Trump Directive

The U.S. Naval Academy has pulled nearly 400 books from its Nimitz Library following orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to remove content promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The directive comes as part of the Trump administration’s broader push to scrub federal agencies of DEI-related materials—including in policies, school curriculums, and online content.

Titles like Maya Angelou’s acclaimed memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Memorializing the Holocaust, and Pursuing Trayvon Martin were included on the removal list, alongside books on feminism, civil rights, racism, gender identity, and the treatment of women in different cultural and historical contexts.

Also pulled were books about African American experiences during World War II (Half American), Black women’s roles in 19th-century public life (A Respectable Woman), and texts on the Ku Klux Klan and Blackface in American entertainment. Works touching on transgender topics, gender identity, and the portrayal of race and gender in art and literature were among those flagged for removal as well.

Naval Academy Responds to Executive Order, Removes 381 Books

On Friday evening, the Navy released the official list of 381 books that were removed, following a keyword search of the Nimitz Library catalog that initially flagged around 900 titles for further review. “Departmental officials then closely examined the preliminary list to determine which books required removal,” said Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, a Navy spokesperson.

Hawkins confirmed that the action was taken to comply with executive orders issued by President Trump. The removals took place shortly before Hegseth visited the Annapolis campus on Tuesday—a visit officials said had already been planned and was not directly related to the book purge.

Academics Face Growing Pressure to Enforce Trump’s DEI Bans

Although Trump’s January executive order banning DEI instruction applied to K-12 schools receiving federal funds, the order did not initially extend to federal service academies like the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, or West Point in New York. However, Pentagon officials recently turned their attention to the academies, following media reports that DEI-promoting materials remained in library collections.

A U.S. official said the Naval Academy was instructed late last week to begin the review process. It remains unclear whether the directive came directly from Hegseth or someone within his office. The Pentagon has since stated that the academies are “fully committed to executing and implementing President Trump’s Executive Orders.”

Officials from the Air Force and Army academies confirmed they have conducted or are in the process of reviewing their course materials to ensure compliance. A West Point spokesperson said their curriculum had already been reviewed, and the library would be next if ordered. An Air Force Academy representative added that materials are “continually reviewed” to meet Defense Department guidelines.

Pushback Mounts as Hegseth’s Anti-DEI Campaign Continues

Hegseth has become a leading force in the push to dismantle DEI frameworks across the Department of Defense. While supporters see it as a move toward eliminating “wokeness” in the military, critics—including lawmakers and local leaders—have questioned the sweeping changes. Concerns have also been raised over the erasure of military heroes and historical content from Defense Department platforms during the process.

The Naval Academy book removals mark a significant moment in the ongoing political battle over DEI in public institutions—one that’s now reached deep into the shelves of one of the nation’s most prestigious military schools.