Pentagon Scrubs 26,000+ DEI-Linked Images, Including Historical Military Icons

The Department of Defense is removing online content referencing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with some removals sparking confusion over their relevance to the directive.

The Pentagon has flagged over 26,000 images and posts for removal as part of its compliance with President Trump's executive orders to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from federal agencies.
Images targeted for removal include those celebrating marginalized groups and commemorative months, as well as historical icons like the Tuskegee Airmen and the Enola Gay aircraft, the latter flagged due to its name containing the word 'gay.'
Content removal extends across all military branches, with local connections including images from Philadelphia and New Jersey events celebrating Pride Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Pentagon officials stated the removals are intended to align with federal directives, but some flagged content appears unrelated to DEI, raising questions over the criteria used for selection.
The database of flagged content was created to comply with archival laws, but concerns remain about the difficulty of restoring the removed materials in the future.