Removal of extensive Pentagon site material encompasses data on Holocaust commemoration, sexual misconduct, and self-destruction prevention.
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The digital landscape of Pentagon websites is undergoing a significant shift, with numerous articles touching on topics like the Holocaust, September 11, cancer awareness, sexual assault prevention, and suicide prevention either flagged for removal or actually purged. This transition stems from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's command to eliminate "diversity" content from all platforms managed by the department.
CNN obtained a database showing over 24,000 potential articles that could be erased, with a significant portion already vanishing. This sweeping action goes beyond merely removing visual content from DVIDS, the Pentagon's visual database, and encompasses articles from across more than 1,000 websites under the department's control.
Last month, the Pentagon announced a plan to eliminate news and feature articles promoting "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)" content. In response to inquiries on Wednesday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot stated that the Defense Department was content with the quick compliance across the Pentagon in removing DEI content from all platforms.
However, a closer examination of the articles either flagged or removed reveals that many lack a direct connection to DEI programs, race theory, gender ideology, or identity-based initiatives. Members of the media have identified at least half a dozen articles dealing with the Holocaust that have been erased and now have "DEI" in their URLs.
Remove and replaced articles include an account of Holocaust survivor Kitty Saks, recalling the Holocaust as "the state-sponsored, systemic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry"; an article about Holocaust Remembrance Week; and a piece titled "A Cadet's Perspective: Holocaust Days of Remembrance."
Articles relating to September 11 remembrance, including reflections from service members on that day, have also been removed. Gone are articles about cancer awareness, including those pertaining to Breast Cancer Awareness month, colon cancer awareness, and an Air Force Surgeon General's piece advocating for a healthy lifestyle to reduce breast cancer risk.
Articles addressing sexual assault have been removed as well, with URLs updated to include "DEI," such as those marking April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and a call to action combating sexual assault. Articles on suicide prevention, including ones discussing veteran suicide statistics, focusing on troops and veterans, and offering resources to aid those considering suicide, have also been purged, with their URLs now featuring "DEI."
Much of the content has been erased not by individual units but by an automated script run by DoD's public web administrators, as indicated in emails obtained by CNN. This aligns with Hegseth's February 27 memo, which stipulated that DoD's media arm, Defense Media Activity, would support systematic content removal from across the Pentagon's numerous platforms.
The automated process has resulted in an unintended level of reckless deletions, according to a defense official. "People don't understand the scope and the carelessness of 'unpublishing' that's happened," the official cautioned. Another defense official confirmed that the Pentagon recognizes the need for a necessary course correction and is now conducting a more thorough review of the purged content to determine whether it should be restored.
As a result of these events, the department acknowledges that a more deliberate and thoughtful process is necessary, involving human reviewers to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the content before any further decisions are made. This may take longer than initially anticipated.
Insight Added:
In February 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a memorandum directing a digital content refresh to align with current priorities, following President Trump's executive orders and Secretary Hegseth's guidance on "Restoring America's Fighting Force." The memo emphasized removing all DoD news, articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by March 5, 2025. Removed content must be archived and retained according to records management policies. Some pages were temporarily removed before being restored with explanations suggesting that removals were sometimes misinterpreted or not intended to undermine the recognition of these heroes.
- Thousands of articles, ranging from Holocaust remembrances to cancer awareness campaigns, have been displayed as "unpublished" on Pentagon websites due to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's command to eliminate diversity content.
- The Pentagon's digital content refresh, initiated in February 2025, has encompassed articles from over 1,000 websites under the department's control, including articles from September 11 remembrance, sexual assault prevention, and suicide prevention.
- Articles dealing with sensitive historical topics, such as the Holocaust, have been removed and now contain "DEI" in their URLs, raising concerns about the reckless deletion of content by the department's automated script.
