A U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy can no longer consider race, ethnicity, or sex in its admissions process, following orders from President Donald Trump. The policy change was made by Vice Adm. Yvette Davids on February 14, stating that these factors cannot be considered at any point during the admissions process. Trump’s executive order directed the military to operate free from any preferences based on race or sex. The Department of Justice requested a suspension of the case to review the change in the Naval Academy’s policy.
In December, a federal court ruling allowed the Naval Academy to continue considering race in its admissions process. The decision to stop considering these factors was met with both support and opposition. Students for Fair Admissions brought the appeal that led to the ruling against considering race, ethnicity, or sex in admissions. The DOJ requested time to discuss the details of the new policy and determine the next steps in the litigation process.
Maryland Representative Sarah Elfreth, a Democratic member of the Naval Academy’s Board of Visitors, criticized the decision to stop considering race, ethnicity, or sex in admissions, saying it would have negative implications for military recruitment and retention. She argued that diversity and inclusion are critical for mission readiness and national security. On the other hand, Edward Blum, president of Students for Fair Admissions, called affirmative action policies “unfair and illegal,” emphasizing that racial discrimination has no place in military academies.
In response to Trump’s executive orders, the Naval Academy took steps to close all diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) offices and end related contracts. Despite the closure of its DEI and DEIA offices, concerns were raised about potential modifications to programs that could obscure their DEIA objectives. The Navy confirmed its compliance with the executive orders and instructed staff not to include gender-identifying pronouns in emails. The closure of the DEI offices was in alignment with national security objectives and professionalism in executing presidential directives.
The decision to no longer consider race, ethnicity, or sex in admissions at the U.S. Naval Academy was controversial, with supporters of the policy change citing concerns about affirmative action practices and opposition from those who believe diversity and inclusion are crucial for national security. The DOJ requested time to review the policy change and discuss next steps in the litigation process. The Naval Academy complied with Trump’s executive orders by closing its DEI offices and ending related contracts, with a focus on professionalism and national security objectives. Despite differing opinions on the matter, the Navy committed to implementing all directives issued by the president.
