Pete Hegseth -- pictured during a confirmation hearing on January 14, 2025 -- has been confirmed by the US Senate as secretary of defense
AFP News

Pete Hegseth, the newly appointed Secretary of Defense under the Trump administration, has expressed his intent to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the U.S. military. This move aligns with the administration's broader efforts to roll back what it describes as 'woke' policies and protections introduced by previous governments.

DoD ≠ DEI

In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Hegseth reaffirmed his opposition to DEI initiatives within the military. He shared a brief statement on the matter, accompanied by a letterhead bearing the Secretary of Defense branding.

In it, he said, 'The President's guidance (lawful orders) is clear: No more DEI at [the] Department of Defense. The Pentagon will comply immediately. No exceptions, name-changes, or delays.'

He added that service members who won't comply with the new measures should no longer work for the U.S. military.

Fortune further reports that the new order was reportedly distributed to Pentagon employees over the weekend. However, the department declined to comment on the status of the ruling rollout in the government body.

This also follows a recent Reuters report noting that he opposes using race as a factor when evaluating candidates for elite U.S. military academies.

'I reject the idea that the MSAs (military service academies) should have different standards for individuals with different skin colours,' Hegseth said in subsequent written responses to lawmakers.

Abolishing 'DEI Bureaucracy'

Pete's actions directly influenced the latest presidential order, which aimed at 'restoring America's fighting force' by removing measures that further promoted the so-called 'DEI ideology' and focusing on America's founding teachings and being the 'most powerful force for good in human history.'

The order argued that DEI programs have detracted from the military's primary mission of defence readiness by prioritising social initiatives over combat preparedness. The order also emphasises the importance of unity and cohesion, suggesting that DEI policies have introduced divisiveness rather than fostering cooperation.

'Unfortunately, in recent years, civilian and uniformed leadership alike have implemented Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and their attendant race and sex preferences within the Armed Forces,' the order said.

It added, 'These actions undermine leadership, merit, and unit cohesion, eroding lethality and force readiness. They also violate Americans' consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination.'

To combat this, the order has mandated that all funding previously allocated to DEI programs will be redirected toward training, readiness, and modernisation of military capabilities. This includes reallocating resources to other high-priority defence areas, such as recruitment and technological advancements.

A Move to Reorganise U.S. Government

It is also worth noting that the rulings mentioned above also included banning transgenders from joining the U.S. military and also allowing previous service members who were previously punished for vaccine refusal.

The move focused on reorganising the U.S. military and the whole federal government, reversing previous rulings that protected marginalised sections of the government sector that benefit from DEI initiatives.

'I ordered the end to all of the lawless diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense policies across the government and all across the private sector and the military. We're getting it out and we've gotten it out pretty much. We did that in one week, and it wasn't that easy, but everybody wanted it,' President Trump recently said.

Trump also mentioned in his previous presidential orders that mandates are a way to 'better serve Americans' with the taxpayer money they pay.

'Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great,' it said in one of its executive orders.