Pentagon spokesman sidelined after removing minority history articles

A Pentagon spokesperson is being reassigned after backlash over the removal of articles highlighting minority contributions to military history. John Ullyot was involved in deleting content about notable figures, including Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball. The articles were removed as part of a larger push by the Trump administration against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Ullyot described DEI as "Discriminatory Equity Ideology." Many criticized the removal, leading to the articles being restored. Sean Parnell, another Pentagon spokesperson, acknowledged that mistakes were made in the DEI screening process. He emphasized that history should not be categorized as DEI and committed to restoring any mistakenly removed content. Ullyot has a history of controversial actions, including limiting press access to certain news outlets deemed more supportive of the administration. This decision sparked criticism from many media organizations. The Pentagon Press Association expressed concern over Ullyot's actions and requested a meeting with defense officials. They said it was troubling to target established media outlets that have covered the Pentagon for years, regardless of political leadership.