I call it malicious compliance. Yes, President Trump issued an executive order to get rid of DEI across the government. NO, the order did not include erasing the history of Tuskegee Airmen, WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), and others.

When you search the White House website, as I did, the words Tuskegee and WASP do not show up. However, you can read all the DEI executive orders here.

This is where things got interesting late yesterday afternoon. A report started circulating on a Facebook page that this curriculum had been yanked because President Trump ordered it to happen. 

This is how the San Antonio Express News framed the report.

President Donald Trump’s assault on federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has claimed a new victim — the Tuskegee Airmen.

A video describing the exploits of the groundbreaking African American airmen, whose combat service during World War II became the stuff of legend, has been removed from the instructional curriculum for new recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the hub of Air Force basic training.

Trump, in his inaugural address on Monday, vowed to “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.” The same day, he signed an executive order dismantling federal DEI programs. On Tuesday, the new administration placed DEI officials on leave and ordered agencies to spike postings or advertisements promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

The effects were felt almost immediately at Lackland. A memo circulated among Air Force personnel said that “in accordance with NEW DEIA Guidance,” portions of the basic training curriculum were being revised “immediately.” DEIA stands for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

The memo said a video on the Tuskegee Airmen had been excised from a course on “airmindedness,” a term for the habits and values the Air Force seeks to instill.

So, this is how they are going to roll. We already have federal employees crying in their Cheerios over the thought of having to show up at the office, while others are fuming that some of their favorite programs are being axed, or that they are going to be fired. 

And now this from the Air Force. Their reasoning for yanking the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP from the curriculum doesn’t pass the smell test. 

“We are ensuring we implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President and are currently doing a thorough review of all applicable curriculum,” an Air Force official said in a statement to Task & Purpose. “We will provide status updates on curriculum changes as soon as we are able.”

Again, I read through the DEI Executive Orders. None of them single out those specific history lessons as falling under the DEI purview. As any rational person who doesn’t have their head firmly up their chosen DEI keister would know, the history of the WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots) and of the Tuskegee Airmen is a crucial part of the Air Force history. Neither falls under the auspices of DEI. Period. 

Furthermore, the Air Force spokesperson asked to not be named. Gee, I wonder why? 

So again, I call this out as malicious compliance done solely to make President Trump look bad. Kurt Schlicter has some very pointed questions for the Air Force and the media who are gleefully running with this crap. 

What was the name of the US official who said this?
What specific document did the US official site that ordered the lesson plan about the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Air Force Service pilots to be removed from the US Air Force curriculum?
What specific USAF curriculum was this,… https://t.co/CwVkdOuSOz

— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) January 26, 2025

Yes, both the so-called “journalists” running with this and the Air Force need to show their work. Vague virtue signaling statements that overtly slam President Trump as the bad guy won’t cut it. 

Feds are responding to Trump's executive orders with malicious compliance

That means doing unnecessary damage in enforcing them and then leaking it to the media

This is going to be the dominant media narrative

— Daniel Greenfield – "Hang Together or Separately" (@Sultanknish) January 26, 2025

In reading the actual Air Force memo from Acting Secretary Gwendolyn DeFilippi, nowhere does it include anything about that particular Air Force history curriculum.

Here’s the deal. If the WASP and Tuskegee curriculum was folded into a larger DEI curriculum then yes, yank the DEI crap and teach the original history solely on its merits. 

However, the Air Force, with their virtue signaling ‘we are complying with ORANGEMANBAD’ announcement, has totally muddied the waters. Was it malicious compliance or purely accidental? You be the judge.

This is the Air Force indulging in political theatrics.

We’ve seen this “passive aggressive” performative nonsense in Florida where activists claim complying with anti-woke curriculum standards requires them to exclude basic history that everyone knows should be taught.

It’s… https://t.co/bufdQCuSze

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 26, 2025

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has a LOT of house cleaning to do in order to rebuild and restore our military and bring back the warrior ethos. 

Feature Photo Credit: Spirit of Tuskegee Airmen via Flickr, cropped and modified