Over the past week, we've chronicled what seems to be a widespread effort inside the US Air Force to defy President Trump's order to shutter all DEI programs. This is something of a surprise. That the civilian agencies were going to try to ignore Trump was baked in (You Knew It Was Going to Happen: Gov't Agencies Ignore Trump EO and Try to Sneak in DEI Under the Radar – RedState). When the executive order outlawing DEI hits universities and federal contractors, we will see a lot more imaginative resistance. That a military service would degrade itself in such a way is rather disappointing. 

Earlier this week, there seemed to be a coordinated effort to hide DEI programs and staff by rebranding them (Has the USAF Decided That It Will Keep DEI No Matter What the Commander-in-Chief Has Ordered? – RedState). At Minot and Luke Air Force Bases, memos were distributed ordering DEI offices to be renamed the " Organizational Culture Office." The Air Force Academy changed the program name from DEI to "Dignity Respect and Leadership." Friday, the Air Force basic training installation removed videos about the Tuskegee Airmen and Women's Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, from the Air Force basic training curriculum. This seems like a petty move designed to pretend to follow the executive order while blaming Trump for dropping Blacks and women from Air Force history; The Air Force Seems to Have Decided to Use Malicious Compliance to Fight Trump's DEI Order – RedState.

This all seems like a coordinated test to see what incoming Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will do. It is nearly like they are sending a message that nowhere in Hegseth's initial message to DOD (Opinion: Warfighter Pete Hegseth Outlines His Priorities As He Takes Over As Defense Secretary – RedState) did he say they actually have to do what they are told to do.

The President gave us a clear mission: achieve Peace through Strength. We will do this in three ways — by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence.  
 
o    We will revive the warrior ethos and restore trust in our military. We are American warriors. We will defend our country. Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear. The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose.  
 
o    We will rebuild our military by matching threats to capabilities. This means reviving our defense industrial base, reforming our acquisition process, passing a financial audit, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies. We will remain the strongest and most lethal force in the world. 
 
o    We will reestablish deterrence by defending our homeland — on the ground and in the sky. We will work with allies and partners to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by Communist China, as well as supporting the President's priority to end wars responsibly and reorient to key threats. We will stand by our allies — and our enemies are on notice.

Today, Hegseth sent a message to the Defense Department using the style made famous by Don Rumsfeld, only more direct.

The President’s guidance (lawful orders) is clear: No more DEI at @DeptofDefense.

The Pentagon will comply, immediately.

No exceptions, name-changes, or delays. pic.twitter.com/KwRtxYRIbG

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 26, 2025

DOD ≠ DEI*

*No exceptions, name-changes, or delays. Those who do not comply will no longer work here. 

— SecDef29

The coming battle brings this movie clip to mind.

Some unsolicited advice for @PeteHegseth from another combat arms field grade… 

Social media and conservative media is already full of examples of open resistance to your leadership. We’re seeing it from the Air Force in particular. See, e.g.: https://redstate.com/streiff/2025/01/24/has-the-usaf-decided-that-it-will-keep-dei-no-matter-what-the-commander-in-chief-has-ordered-n2184765… 

They aren’t even hiding it. That’s how little they respect you. 

Let’s bottom line it - they think they can make you their little bitch, and they’re already acting like it. This open DEI resistance, with the changed names and the laughing at the administration while thinking they can get away with it, is a direct challenge to your authority. 

If you don’t take them out right now, quickly, ruthlessly, and unequivocally, you’re going to spend the next four years as the prettiest boy on the Pentagon cell block. You will fail. 

Infantry commander to infantry commander, you need to pick one of these examples and get the entire chain of command – up to the four-star and down to the 03 – standing in your office at 0900 Monday to personally explain to you exactly why they believe they can disregard the commander-in-chief’s guidance. And tell them to bring their deputies for the likely eventuality that you will be relieving all of them for cause. 

Do that once and you’ll never have to do it again. That’s my unsolicited advice.  

Saber 6 out.

Hegseth has to act quickly to bring the uniformed side of the Pentagon to heel. If he succeeds, he can focus on fighting the civilian side. If he can't make his DEI directive stick, Trump might as well pull him out now.