Overview

• A Pentagon memo signed by Acting Undersecretary Timothy Dill requires military academies and war colleges to flag and set aside books addressing diversity, anti-racism, and gender issues by May 21.
• The directive establishes a temporary Academic Libraries Committee to oversee the review process, using search terms like 'critical race theory,' 'white privilege,' and 'gender transition' to identify materials.
• Nearly 400 books, including Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' and 'Memorializing the Holocaust,' have already been removed from the U.S. Naval Academy library under prior orders.
• The review is part of a broader effort by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content across the military, aligning with Trump administration policies.
• Critics warn the removals could erase valuable historical and academic resources, while proponents argue they realign military education with a 'mission-focused, merit-based' culture.