Trump administration rolls back DEI content nationwide

Since President Donald Trump returned to office, federal agencies have started a major rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content. This effort has led to the removal or archiving of thousands of pages highlighting the contributions of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color in the military and other government sectors. One notable removal involved a webpage honoring Army Major General Charles Calvin Rogers, a Black Medal of Honor recipient. The Pentagon mistakenly altered the URL, resulting in the page giving an error. After public outcry, the Pentagon restored the page, acknowledging the error was unintended. In their review, the Pentagon flagged over 26,000 images for deletion, a number that might exceed 100,000. Many of these images were misidentified by automated tools as related to DEI, including historical items like the Enola Gay, due to irrelevant file names. Additionally, tributes to significant groups, such as the Navajo Code Talkers and the Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, were removed but are now being restored after public pressure. The Army attributed the removal of the 442nd’s page to compliance with an executive order but stated it would be republished to align with new guidance. A memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed plans to change external communications, replacing the term "gender" with "sex." This move raised concerns about its impact on veteran access to care. Similar removals occurred in other agencies, with the Small Business Administration and NASA also deleting content featuring people of color and women scientists. The response from the administration has sparked criticism from veterans' advocates. They argue that the actions send a message that non-white, non-male individuals are unwelcome in the armed forces. Critics are concerned that these changes will disrupt units by forcing out trained and qualified personnel in favor of those who fit a narrow ideological view.