Libraries across the U.S. Army and Air Force have been told to review their shelves for books related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), according to memos obtained by the Associated Press.
The move is part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to scale back DEI initiatives in government institutions, including the military.
This new order follows a similar move by the U.S. Naval Academy, which recently removed nearly 400 books from its library. Those included titles on civil rights, feminism, racism, and even Maya Angelou’s iconic autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
The Army memo, sent to West Point, the Army War College, and other key military institutions, asks staff to review collections and identify any books that promote DEI, gender ideology, or critical race theory “in a manner that subverts meritocracy and unity.” Any flagged books are to be removed pending further instructions.
A list of these books must be sent to the Army’s chief librarian by Wednesday. The Air Force Academy, meanwhile, has been given a deadline of April 30 for an initial list and May 30 for a final one.
These steps come in response to a broader policy push by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been vocal about removing DEI programming and materials from the Department of Defense.
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His office has also faced backlash for scrubbing mentions of military figures and civil rights history from official websites and social media pages.
Critics argue that removing books on topics like racism, feminism, or civil rights risks erasing important parts of history and silencing diverse perspectives.
Others support the move, saying it promotes unity and a return to traditional military values.
The military academies were not initially affected by Trump’s executive order banning DEI in federally funded K–12 schools, but that changed after Pentagon leaders noticed the gap.
For now, both the Army and Air Force say they are carefully reviewing materials to follow orders while minimizing disruption.
