Pentagon's DEI Content Purge Flags 26,000 Military Images Including Historical Records
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Defense has identified over 26,000 images for removal across all military branches as part of a sweeping directive to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) content, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press [1][2].
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the military-wide purge following a presidential executive order ending DEI programs across federal government. Officials estimate the total number of affected items could reach 100,000 when including social media posts and websites [3].
The removal process has faced significant implementation challenges. Some content was flagged due to keyword matches rather than context - including historical records of the Enola Gay B-29 bomber and personnel with the surname 'Gay.' The Tuskegee Airmen's training materials were briefly removed before being restored after White House intervention regarding 'malicious compliance' [1][4].
Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot confirmed the directive's implementation, stating 'DEI is dead' and arguing such programs 'erode camaraderie.' However, the sweeping nature of the removals has affected documentation of military milestones, including:
- Images of the first female fighter pilot
- Records of women graduating Marine Infantry Training
- Photos of World War II Medal of Honor recipients
- Documentation of various military 'firsts' for minority servicemembers
The Marine Corps, operating with just one civilian employee assigned to content removal, has identified 10,000 images for deletion and must still address 1,600 social media sites [5]. Many of these sites lack current administrative access, complicating the removal process.
While some content has already been removed, other flagged items remained visible as of Thursday. The Pentagon has instructed units to archive removed content in compliance with federal records laws, though officials speaking anonymously expressed concerns about proper preservation [6].