‘Trying to Erase Black History’: Facing Backlash, Air Force Reinstates Tuskegee Airmen Video In Training After Donald Trump’s DEI Purge Axed It from Program
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The U.S. Air Force reversed course after abruptly eliminating training courses that showcased videos of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Air Force Service Pilots — both trailblazing Black service units that played a crucial role in World War II — following Donald Trump’s administration’s directive to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The videos have been part of the Air Force basic training curriculum at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
The contentious decision to remove one of the most iconic symbols of Black military history sparked outrage and came on the same day the U.S. Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary. It also marked just one of several moves targeting policies supporting Black initiatives, including a moratorium on civil rights investigations imposed by the Justice Department — all scrapped within a week of President Trump taking office for his second term.
The Air Force announced on Sunday that it will reinstate the use of the training videos highlighting the Tuskegee Airmen. The video was approved following a review to ensure it complies with Trump’s ban on DEI initiatives.
The videos are shown to Air Force recruits as part of diversity, equity, and inclusion training during basic military instruction but were removed after Trump’s inaugural address last Monday at the U.S. Capitol, where he vowed to “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.”
Moments later, Trump signed an executive order dismantling federal DEI programs.
On Tuesday, the new administration wasted no time, placing DEI officials on leave and instructing agencies to cease any advertisements or postings related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The impact was quickly seen at Lackland, where a memo distributed to Air Force staff stated that “per the new DEIA guidance,” parts of the basic training program were being updated “immediately.”
The memo indicated that a video about the Tuskegee Airmen, another titled “Breaking Barriers,” and a third about the WASPs were removed from the “airmindedness” course, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Additionally, a diversity video was cut from a different human relations course, as per the memo, which was addressed to “ALCON,” military shorthand for “all concerned.”
“We are ensuring we implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President and are currently doing a thorough review of all applicable curriculum. We will provide status updates on curriculum changes as soon as we are able,” the memo said, according to the Express-News.
Critics of the decision asserted that the removal of the Tuskegee Airmen videos had “NOTHING to do with DEI and everything to do with the accomplishments of heroes who happened to be Black,” wrote political influencer Brian Krassenstein, whose X account touts more than 828,000 followers.
The 37th Training Wing, responsible for basic and technical training at Lackland, has so far declined to comment.
However, the Air Force released a statement acknowledging the termination of the videos, emphasizing that it “will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President, ensuring that they are carried out with utmost professionalism, efficiency and in alignment with national security objectives.”
Administration officials suggested the issue may not be with the historical videos themselves but rather the lack of clear guidance from the White House, which has led the Air Force and other agencies to adopt a blanket approach in removing any potential DEI content to ensure compliance with Trump’s executive order.
The Tuskegee Airmen flew in a segregated unit during WWII, becoming the first Black pilots in the U.S. military.
The 332nd Fighter Group, an all-Black regiment stationed at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, broke racial barriers in the U.S. military. Comprising up to 14,000 airmen, including 1,000 pilots, they completed 15,533 sorties over war-torn Europe. Their efforts resulted in 112 enemy aircraft destroyed, as well as 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Presidential Unit Citations.
The heroic unit also gained fame for its exceptional flight record, suffering one of the lowest loss rates among bomber escorts in the war.
Black pilots flew P-47 Thunderbolts, P-51 Mustangs, and other fighter planes to shield American bombers on perilous missions over Germany — playing a major role in some of the war’s most historic aerial battles and helping lift the Allies to victory. Before the Tuskegee escorts were introduced, American bombers suffered devastating losses from relentless German dive attacks.
Over the years, their legacy expanded as books, media coverage, and Hollywood movies helped bring their heroic exploits into the public eye.
Previously, during his 2020 State of the Union address, Trump announced the promotion of Charles McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, to the rank of brigadier general. McGee passed away in 2022 at the age of 102.
Back in 2007, President George W. Bush honored the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal during a prestigious ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda.
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) played a crucial role during World War II, training to fly and transport newly built bombers from factories to airfields, enabling male pilots to concentrate on combat missions abroad. It wasn’t until the past decade that they were finally granted the honor of being buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Recently, the Air Force, along with other military branches, has made efforts to expand its outreach, aiming to encourage a more diverse group of individuals to pursue careers in fields like aviation, which have traditionally seen low representation from minority groups.
“No Airmen or Guardians will miss this block of instruction due to the revision, however one group of trainees had the training delayed,” said Lieutenant General Brian Robinson, who leads the Air Education and Training Command, in a statement, according to NBC News.
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