The Arlington National Cemetery has seemingly removed information and educational materials regarding the history and contributions of Black and female service members from its website in alignment with Donald Trump‘s call to end DEI Initiatives.
According to BBC, the alterations to the website were discovered on Friday (March 14), as internal links directing users to “Notable Graves” of women and minorities who served in the military were removed.
In addition, short biographies of notable Black, Hispanic, and female veterans, as well as information on the lives of the Tuskegee Airmen are no longer accessible on the website. Previously listed links led to pages focused on African-American History, Hispanic History, and Women’s History.
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Monday marks three years since the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 American service members.
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In response to the backlash surrounding the abrupt removal of content, a spokesperson for the cemetery told The Washington Post that they’re working on restoring the missing links and that its staff remains “committed to sharing the stories of military service and sacrifice to the nation.”
Established following The Civil War and located at the home of General Robert E. Lee, the Arlington National Cemetery houses the gravesites of approximately 400,000 service members.
Christmas wreaths sit on a headstone during Wreaths Across America Day at the Arlington National Cemetery on December 16, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. Volunteers started just after sunrise placing wreaths on each of the 260,000 headstones and at niches throughout the cemetery to honor fallen service members.
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This is not the first time that the Arlington National Cemetery’s website has been subjected to the removal of content pertaining to the contributions of women and minorities
Earlier this year, the Defense Department responded to the removal of information regarding the Tuskegee Airmen from the cemetery’s website by reinstating the materials on the site.
However, the latest purge of DEI materials are “deeply concerning,” said Representative Adam Smith, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who has been outspoken amid attempts to banish DEI practices in the military and throughout the federal government.
Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the “Old Guard,” place flags at the headstones of U.S. military personnel buried at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day, on May 23, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Nearly 1,500 joint service members will spend around four hours placing small American flags in front of more than 260,000 headstones. The cemetery, consisting of 639 acres, is the final resting place of approximately 400,000 veterans and their dependents.
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