Overview: In response to President Donald Trump’s executive order ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, the U.S. Air Force initially removed videos on the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots from its training curriculum. This move was met with outcries and criticized for being discriminatory. However, the Air Force quickly changed course and clarified that the Tuskegee Airmen content was reinstated, with the only change being the removal of DEI-related information from the training. The Air Force insists that it is aligning itself with Trump’s directive while still honoring the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP.
S.E. Williams
News about the U.S. Air Force’s initial response to President Donald Trump’s executive order ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs across the land, created quite an uproar last week.
Concerns over the U.S. Air Force’s potential removal of a video highlighting the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen from its training curriculum in an effort to comply with the president’s order was met with outcries that reached inside the president’s cabinet. In response, the Air Force did an almost immediate about face.
The extent of the president’s current ability to stir chaos, foster confusion and push the boundaries of potential abuses of power, appear to have no limits.
As we enter Black History Month 2025, this comes as no surprise. It is exactly what the nation experienced during Trump’s previous administration, he is quite adept at flooding our senses and sensibilities with news of more and more egregious actions, each and every passing day.
Whether it’s repealing protections against discrimination in federal contracting, pressuring corporations, nonprofits, schools, professional associations and other organizations to discontinue diversity practices or other discriminatory actions that are equally discouraging and unpopular. Trump’s actions are aggressive but what is equally concerning to many is the rush of business, industry and federal agencies to quickly fall in line with his dictatorial mandates appearing to have little concern on how such actions may impact many of their clients, customers, employees and others.
“They said Blacks couldn’t be pilots and wouldn’t make good military men. We proved them wrong. We distinguished ourselves in every way possible. We made that red tail famous.”
Lt. Col. Hiram Mann
For example, the U.S. Air Force moved quickly to remove from its course for new recruits–basic military training (BMT)–-videos on World War II-era Tuskegee Airmen (and Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) in the immediate wake of Trump’s sweeping order that barred DEI programs.
“The Department of the Air Force will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President,” an email from an Air Force spokesperson read. It went on to state that the organization’s goal was to carry out the president’s order with professionalism, efficiency and “in alignment with national security objectives.”
The Air Force then required all commands and units “to pull down all public websites, social media accounts and other media for its DEI offices; withdraw any DEI documents, plans or orders; and to cancel training and contracts for DEI.” This included Tuskegee Airmen (and WASP) videos used in basic military training (BMT).
But within days, and in response to public outcry, the Air Force quickly clarified its initial statement, advising the general public that the agency had reinstated the basic training class with materials on World War II-era Tuskegee Airmen (and WASP) intact.
“No curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Airforce Service Pilots has been removed from basic military training,” said Air Force Education and Training Commander, Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson,
Elements of the training that previously focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, however, are now deleted from the training. Robinson confirmed.
Robinson shared his belief that by removing the block of information in the training that referred to DEI only and leaving the content highlighting the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP, the Air Force was now aligned with the direction given by Trump in his DEI executive order.
We can only hope that this compromise is enough to satisfy Trump and his administration even as major corporations, many that pledged full-throated support for DEI programs in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and the international uprising that followed, used the executive order as a blanket to cover themselves and their businesses as they slunk away like snakes in high grass from their previous commitments to DEI.
As Trump continues to flood the media with action after action to keep the public off-balanced and overwhelmed, it is more important than ever that we keep our eyes on the prize. With so much coming at us all at once we can’t possibly focus on everything. But. if each of us remains focused on one thing in our community where we can work to help make a difference, it is the best way to feel empowered and help create the change we seek. Remember, all politics are local. Here in the inland region is where we can continue working to build a better future.
During times like this, it is good to remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murders, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it—always.”
Of course, this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real.