The U.S. Air Force said Sunday it will resume training trainees using a video about the first black airmen in the U.S. military, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, that passed review to ensure compliance with the President Donald Trump’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion. initiatives.
Trump, who took office on January 20, has banned DEI throughout the US government and military. New Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in Friday, has made removing DEI from the military a top priority.
Reuters reported on Saturday that the video about the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as another about female civilian pilots trained by the U.S. military during World War II, known as “Women Air Force Service Pilots,” or WASPs, were not being taught. in basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland pending review.
The move was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
The Air Force said Sunday that both videos will be shown.
“No Airmen or tutors will miss this block of instruction due to the review; however, a group of students experienced a delay in training,” Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, who leads the Air Education and Training Command, said in a release.
The Tuskegee Airmen included 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 desegregate the armed forces in 1948.
DEI programs seek to promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Civil rights advocates argue that such programs, generally backed by Democrats, are necessary to address longstanding inequalities and structural racism.
They have come under fire from conservatives, who say initiatives focused on race and gender are inherently discriminatory and do not prioritize merit.
