Written by Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump's order halting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has led the Air Force to suspend course instruction on a documentary about the first Black airmen in the US military, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, a US official said on Saturday.
Among the famous black pilots were 450 pilots who fought overseas in segregated units during World War II. Their success in combat helped pave the way for President Harry Truman's decision to degroup the armed forces in 1948.
Another video about civilian pilots trained by the US military during World War II, known as “Women Air Force Service Pilots,” or Wasps, has been withdrawn, the official said.
The Air Force did not comment directly on the decision, which was confirmed by an official who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
US President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders seeking to dismantle DEI programs since taking office on Monday.
DEI programs seek to enhance opportunities for women, racial minorities, and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Civil rights advocates argue that these programs, which Democrats generally support, are necessary to address longstanding inequalities and structural racism.
But they have become a rallying cry for conservatives who argue that gender and sexuality-focused initiatives are inherently discriminatory and fail to prioritize meritocracy.
Reuters reported on Friday that new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers he opposes using race as a factor when evaluating candidates for U.S. military academies.
The Trump administration and its backers in Congress argue that America's military needs are also to purge generals who support DEI initiatives, which they say are a distraction from the war fighting.
The U.S. official said the video on the Tuskegee Airman and other historical materials has been pulled as the Air Force conducts a training curriculum at Joint Base San Antonio-LaCande, where new recruits get basic training.
The official stressed that the videos were not specifically targeted but were part of the curriculum that had been suspended pending review.
For its part, the Air Force said in a statement that it is committed to implementing Trump's orders.
An Air Force spokesperson said: “The Department of the Air Force will implement and implement all directives outlined in the President’s Executive Orders, ensuring they are implemented with the utmost professionalism, efficiency, and consistency with national security objectives.”
