The Trump administration continues its war on knowledge by removing books from the U.S. Naval Academy’s Nimitz Library.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered staff to remove 381 books from the Nimitz Library. The books removed include novels by Maya Angelou, as well as historical studies of racism, antisemitism, gender, medicine, and other subjects by historians such as Janet Jacobs, Ibram X. Kendi, Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, and Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks.

The New York Times reports that “the Trump administration’s decision to order the banning of certain books from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library is a case study in ideological censorship, alumni and academics say.”

“Political appointees in the Department of the Navy’s leadership decided which books to remove. A look at the list showed that antiracists were targeted, laying bare the contradictions in the assault on so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies,” according to The New York Times.

“‘Initially, officials searched the Nimitz Library catalog, using keyword searches, to identify books that required further review,’ Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, a Navy spokesman, said in a statement on Friday. ‘Approximately 900 books were identified during the preliminary search. Departmental officials then closely examined the preliminary list to determine which books required removal to comply with directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president.'”

“‘This effort ultimately resulted in nearly 400 books being selected for removal from the Nimitz Library collection,’ he added.”

Admiral Stavridis commented on the potential harm to U.S. military forces of the censorship policies, arguing that “book banning can be a canary in a coal mine and could predict a stifling of free speech and thought. … Books that challenge us make us stronger. We need officers who are educated, not indoctrinated.”

This book removal clearly constitutes political censorship by the Trump administration, as well as an attack on library institutions and academic freedom.

Ismay, John. “Who’s In and Who’s Out at the Naval Academy’s Library?” The New York Times (11 April 2025).