WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Naval Academy^[1] has removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office to review and get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity and inclusion^[2], U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Academy officials were told to review the library late last week, and an initial search had identified about 900 books for a closer look. They decided on nearly 400 to remove and began doing so Monday, finishing before Hegseth arrived for a visit Tuesday that had already been planned and was not connected to the library purge, officials said. A list of the books has not yet been made available.

Pulling the books off the shelves is another step in the Trump administration's far-reaching effort to eliminate so-called DEI content^[3] from federal agencies, including policies, programs, online and social media postings and curriculum at schools.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said late Tuesday, "All service academies are fully committed to executing and implementing President Trump's Executive Orders."

The Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, the Air Force Academy^[4] near Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the U.S. Military Academy^[5] in West Point^[6], New York, had not been included in President Donald Trump's executive order in January that banned DEI instruction, programs or curriculum in kindergarten through 12th grade schools that receive federal funding. That is because the academies are colleges.

Pentagon leaders, however, suddenly turned their attention to the Naval Academy last week when a media report noted that the school had not removed books that promoted DEI. A U.S. official said the academy was told late last week to conduct the review and removal. It isn't clear if the order was directed by Hegseth or someone else on his staff.

A West Point official confirmed that the school had completed a review of its curriculum and was prepared to review library content if directed by the Army^[7]. The Air Force and Naval academies had also done curriculum reviews as had been required.

An Air Force Academy official said the school continually reviews its curriculum, coursework and other materials to ensure it all complies with executive orders and Defense Department policies. Last week, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, the Air Force Academy superintendent, told Congress that the school was in the middle of its course review, but there was no mention of books.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss academy policies.

Hegseth has aggressively pushed the department to erase DEI programs and online content, but the campaign has been met with questions from angry lawmakers, local leaders and citizens over the removal of military heroes^[8] and historic mentions from Defense Department websites and social media pages.

In response, the department has scrambled to restore some of those posts^[9] as their removals have come to light.

The confusion about how to interpret the DEI policy was underscored Monday as Naval Academy personnel mistakenly removed some photos of distinguished female Jewish graduates from a display case as they prepared for Hegseth's visit. The photos were put back.

In a statement, the Navy^[10] said it is aware that photos were mistakenly removed from the Naval Academy Jewish Center. It said U.S. Naval Academy leadership was immediately taking steps to review and correct the unauthorized removal.

Hegseth spoke with students and had lunch at the academy Tuesday, but the media were not invited or allowed to cover the visit.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has halted dozens of research grants^[1] at Princeton University, the latest Ivy League school to see its federal money threatened in a pressure campaign targeting the nation’s top universities.

Princeton was notified this week that several dozen federal grants are being suspended by agencies including the Department of Energy, NASA and the Defense Department, according to a campus message sent Tuesday by Christopher Eisgruber, the university's president.

Eisgruber said the rationale was not fully clear but that Princeton will comply with the law. The school is among dozens facing federal investigations into antisemitism following a wave of pro-Palestinian protests last year.

"We are committed to fighting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will cooperate with the government in combating antisemitism," Eisgruber wrote. "Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this University."

As President Donald Trump presses his political agenda on universities across the country, he has paid special attention to Ivy League institutions.

Columbia University was the first one targeted, losing $400 million^[2] in federal money with threats to terminate more if it didn't make the campus safer for Jewish students. The school agreed to several demands^[3] from the government last month, including an overhaul of student discipline rules and a review of the school's Middle East studies department.

The government later suspended about $175 million^[4] in federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania over a transgender swimmer who previously competed for the school. On Monday, a federal antisemitism task force said it was reviewing almost $9 billion in federal grants and contracts at Harvard University amid an investigation into campus antisemitism.

The pressure has created a dilemma for U.S. colleges, which rely on federal research funding as a major source of revenue.

Eisgruber came forward as a voice of opposition as the Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Columbia, calling it the greatest threat to American universities in decades.

“The attack on Columbia is a radical threat to scholarly excellence and to America's leadership in research,” Eisgruber wrote in a March 19 essay in The Atlantic magazine. “Universities and their leaders should speak up and litigate forcefully to protect their rights.”

Several agencies on the federal antisemitism task force did not immediately respond to questions about the action at Princeton, nor did the agencies behind the research grants.

Princeton was among 60 universities that received a warning letter from the Education Department in March over accusations of antisemitism. It said the schools could face enforcement action if they didn't address anti-Jewish bias on campus. All but two Ivy League schools, Penn and Dartmouth, were on the list.

The Education Department launched an investigation at Princeton in April 2024 under the Biden administration. It was in response to a complaint filed by the editor-in-chief of Campus Reform, a conservative news organization, the outlet reported. The complaint cited a pro-Palestinian protest that reportedly included chants of “Intifada” and others described as antisemitic.

The outlet's editor has filed dozens of other antisemitism complaints with the Education Department.

The Trump administration has promised a more aggressive approach against campus antisemitism, accusing former President Joe Biden of letting schools off the hook. It has opened new investigations at colleges and detained and deported^[5] several foreign students with ties to pro-Palestinian protests.

Trump and other officials have accused the protesters of being “pro-Hamas.” Student activists say they oppose Israel’s military activity in Gaza^[6].

It follows a campaign by Republican in Congress who demanded answers from university leaders after the wave of protests. A series of hearings on Capitol Hill^[7] contributed to the resignation of presidents at Harvard^[8], Columbia^[9] and Penn^[10].

Columbia's interim president, Katrina Armstrong, resigned last week^[11] after the school agreed to the government’s demands.

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