Black military veterans are expressing mixed reactions to the Department of Defense’s decision to strictly enforce facial hair grooming standards and significantly limit medical shaving waivers. While some veterans view the policy as part of the military’s long-standing emphasis on uniformity and discipline, others worry it will disproportionately affect Black service members who suffer from medical conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae, potentially forcing some out of the armed forces.
Tag: Pete Hegseth
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Journalists turn in access badges, exit Pentagon rather than agree to new reporting rules
Dozens of journalists turned in their Pentagon access badges on Oct. 15 rather than comply with new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that limit how reporters can gather information. News organizations rejected the rules as a threat to press freedom but vowed to continue covering the military from a greater distance.
Posted inU.S. Government
Pentagon clamps down on media, raising First Amendment alarms
The Pentagon has issued new restrictions requiring journalists to sign pledges not to report information — even unclassified — unless it is officially approved for release. Press freedom advocates and major news organizations condemned the policy as government censorship and a violation of First Amendment rights.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Attacks to erase diversity, promote revisionist American history continue
By Zenitha PrinceAFRO Contributing Editor History, it’s said, is written by the victors. And since Donald Trump won the 2024 general election, he’s been on a campaign to rewrite America’s past by erasing Black history. The latest targets: a National Parks Service webpage detailing information about the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, the Smithsonian’s […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: ‘Leave Now.’ Deportation emails, the delayed military report, and the dangerous rise of executive power
In April 2025, the Department of Homeland Security sent mass emails to thousands of immigrants, warning them to leave the U.S. within seven days or face removal—part of a broader, escalating strategy under the Trump administration to instill fear, provoke self-deportation, and test constitutional limits. While the Supreme Court has temporarily paused the removals, the administration continues advancing a militarized, legally dubious agenda targeting vulnerable communities and reshaping immigration enforcement through executive force.
Posted inNational News
West Point graduate becomes first woman to compete in grueling Army Ranger contest
First Lt. Gabrielle White became the first female Army Ranger to compete in the prestigious Best Ranger Competition, finishing 14th out of 52 teams alongside her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre. Despite the historic milestone, the Army has chosen not to publicly highlight her achievement due to current Department of Defense restrictions on promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Posted inNational News
Congressman Greg Meeks wants answers on the text message war plan
New York Congressman Greg Meeks is demanding a congressional hearing to investigate a reported national security breach in which Trump administration officials allegedly used the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss military plans, inadvertently including journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in the chat. Meeks has sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pressing for answers on whether classified or sensitive information was shared and what steps are being taken to prevent future breaches.
Posted inNational News
Could Gen. Lloyd Austin III have survived leaking war plans?
A major national security breach has come under scrutiny after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief was accidentally added to a Signal group chat where Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, discussed a pending military strike. While lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern, critics argue that the response would be far harsher if the officials involved weren’t White and connected to Trump.
Posted inU.S. Government
War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon’s DEI purge
The Defense Department has created a database of 26,000 images and posts marked for deletion as part of a purge of diversity, equity and inclusion content, with officials estimating that the total could be as high as 100,000.