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Pentagon Faces Backlash Over Removal of Holocaust and Historical Content

A rushed directive to eliminate DEI content led to the deletion of thousands of articles, including Holocaust remembrance and military history, prompting reviews and restoration efforts.

Jackie Robinson served in a segregated Army unit during World War II and later broke Major League Baseball's color barrier.
Air Force recruits line up for a meal at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the hub of Air Force basic training. Lackland is one of the scheduled stops for a Pentagon team that is investigating whether military installations are complying with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's orders to eliminate DEI.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s DEI initiative results in the removal of Holocaust Remembrance articles. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
One of the articles removed from the US Air Force Air Mobility Command website was about Jaspreet Singh, who was among the first Airmen in the entire US Air Force to be approved to wear a turban as a part of his uniform. The article was also removed from the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst website.

Overview

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's directive to remove Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) content resulted in the deletion of over 24,000 articles from Pentagon platforms.
  • Automated tools and vague guidelines caused the removal of content unrelated to DEI, such as Holocaust remembrance and military achievements, sparking public criticism.
  • Pentagon officials acknowledged errors due to the aggressive timeline and have initiated reviews to restore mistakenly deleted content, emphasizing that history is not considered DEI.
  • Validation teams have been deployed to military bases to ensure compliance with the directive and address concerns about overcorrection and operational inefficiency.
  • Organizations like the Anti-Defamation League have condemned the removal of Holocaust-related content, urging its restoration to preserve historical memory and education.