Justice Department strikes settlement deal to end race-based admissions at West Point and Air Force Academy

The US Department of Justice has announced a settlement with Students for Fair Admissions Inc. (SFFA), ending race-based admissions practices at the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Air Force Academy. The agreement resolves two lawsuits brought by SFFA, which alleged the policies violated the Fifth Amendment, and results in the dismissal of both cases.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the resolution as part of a broader effort to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices from federal institutions. “This Department is committed to eliminating DEI practices throughout the federal government,” Bondi said. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Defense to permanently end race-based admissions at West Point and the Air Force Academy - admission to these prestigious military institutions should be based exclusively on merit.”

US Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York echoed that sentiment, emphasizing equal opportunity as a core American value. “Today’s agreement ensures that our future military leaders will carry on the greatness that is born of opportunity, effort, and a level playing field,” Clayton stated.

The settlement avoids the need for prolonged litigation and establishes agreed-upon terms to ensure that admission to these service academies will be determined solely by merit, not race or ethnicity. It follows a similar agreement reached earlier this year in the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit regarding the US Naval Academy’s former race-conscious admissions policies.

The announcement comes amid ongoing debates over cultural, ideological, and policy changes within America’s military academies.

In 2024, West Point officials confirmed they would remove the storied motto “Duty, Honor, Country” from the academy’s mission statement. Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland defended the change, stating that after a year-and-a-half review with internal and external stakeholders, the academy decided to update its vision, mission, and strategy. While emphasizing that the phrase still “defines who we are” and remains central to the cadet experience, the revision drew criticism from alumni who saw it as a break from tradition.

In 2021, Air Force Academy professor Lynne Chandler García published a Washington Post op-ed defending the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in military education. García argued that CRT offers an academic framework to understand “structural racism and inequality” in US history and that it helps cadets develop solutions for a more just society. She maintained that such instruction is patriotic and provides a fuller, more accurate account of America’s past without fostering division among service members.

Her comments sparked backlash from some lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), a West Point graduate, who called for her resignation in a letter to Air Force Secretary John Roth. Green accused García of promoting an ideology that undermines the Constitution, erodes morale, and threatens unit cohesion. He argued that teaching future officers that the United States is fundamentally racist could harm recruitment and retention.

“Critical race theory teaches that the only way to right past racial discrimination is with present racial discrimination,” Green wrote. “That is incompatible with our founding principles and the Civil Rights Movement, and it is illegal.”

With this settlement, the Justice Department has now addressed race-based admissions at all three major US service academies, bringing them in line with the principle that merit, not race or ethnicity, should determine entry.