Large-Scale Erasure of Military Records

In line with his administration’s policy to eliminate references to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the U.S. military, Donald Trump has initiated a sweeping deletion of military archives. According to the Associated Press, on February 26, the Pentagon instructed all military branches to review years of publications—photos, articles, and videos included—and remove any mention that could be interpreted as supporting these initiatives.

Thousands of Documents Targeted for Deletion

To date, over 26,000 images have been flagged for removal, with the total potentially reaching 100,000 once social media posts and Defense Department websites are accounted for. This policy has led to the disappearance of extensive content related to women and minority groups in the military.

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Unexpected Consequences of Censorship

The enforcement of this directive has resulted in unforeseen deletions. Some files were flagged solely because they contained the word “gay,” regardless of context. One of the most striking examples includes the removal of an image of the B-29 Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. Named after the pilot’s grandmother, the plane was inadvertently caught in this sweeping censorship effort.

This mass deletion campaign has sparked criticism regarding its effectiveness and relevance, particularly given its unintended and often absurd consequences.