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West Point decision to cut ‘duty, honor, country’ from mission statement under fire again
EXCLUSIVE: A United States Military Academy mission statement swap from «duty, honor, country» to «Army Values» is coming under fire again — this time by a conservative judicial and government watchdog group who claims the school engaged in a «cover up» scheme when it altered its mission statement in 2024 as part of an effort to advance a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda.
On March 11, 2024, West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland publicly announced that West Point would update its mission and insert the term «Army Values» in lieu of «duty, honor, country.» Even so, Gilland stressed that «duty, honor, country» would remain West Point’s motto as it has been since 1898.
Judicial Watch obtained documents via a Freedom of Information Act request seeking all emails regarding the removal of «duty, honor, country» from the mission statement between officials at West Point.
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Among the documents Judicial Watch obtained is a document from Gilland detailing mission statement talking points for Founders Day speakers that was sent on March 23, 2024. The memo instructs speakers to «AVOID saying ‘removed,’ ‘replaced,’ ‘deleted’—just refer to the ‘updated mission statement and reinforce that the motto remains unchanged.’»
The memo does not explicitly connect the mission statement change to any DEI initiatives.
However, Judicial Watch argues that the talking points document it obtained implies DEI was a factor in the mission statement change because the document also contains an FAQ section that appears to downplay the role of DEI, claiming only five to eight students each year complete West Point’s Diversity and Inclusion Studies minor.
«These records detail how the DEI agenda helped change the mission statement of West Point — and how leadership under the Biden administration tried to cover it up,» Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a Thursday statement to Fox News Digital.
But in the memo outlining mission statement talking points, Gilland urged speakers to push back against the narrative that the mission statement change was done for political purposes.
«EMPHASIZE the actual seven values as some in the audience don’t realize Army Values is a defined term and to counter the social media narrative that the Army Values change for political reasons. AVOID comparing DHC to AV—it’s not either/or,» the mission statement talking points document said.
NAVAL ACADEMY CLOSING DEI OFFICES TO ALIGN WITH TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS: MEMO
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is a selective institution that prepares students to become officers in the U.S. Army. (iStock)
«AVOID the perception that the External Review Team was political or made the decision. The Academy selected them. They advised. Academy leadership made Decisions,» the document said.
The term «Army Values» keeps «duty» and «honor» within its core set of values, but also includes the following: loyalty, respect, selfless service, integrity and personal courage.
Gilland said in a statement announcing the change that «country» is reflected in the term «loyalty.»
«The Army Values include Duty and Honor, and Country is reflected in Loyalty, bearing truth faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers,» Gilland said in an announcement about the mission statement change.
Gilland also said that «duty, honor, country» is «foundational to the United States Military Academy’s culture and will always remain our motto.»
An Army spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to Gilland’s original announcement where he wrote: «Our absolute focus on developing leaders of character ready to lead our Army’s Soldiers on increasingly lethal battlefields remains unchanged.»
West Point is one of several U.S. military academies that trains students to become military officers.
Meanwhile, West Point’s mission statement has been changed nine times in the past century, and the words «duty, honor, country» didn’t make it into West Point’s mission statement until 1998.
As of March 2024, West Point’s mission statement is: «To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation.»
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West Point cadets in formation. (U.S. Military Academy)
West Point’s previous mission statement, first adopted in 2005, remained: «To educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.»
West Point’s superintendent at the time, Lt. Gen. William Lennox, requested the change in 2005 and then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker approved the change.
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Meanwhile, Republicans have pushed to incorporate «duty, honor, country» back into the mission statement. For example, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, spearheaded legislation in January to add the words back to the military academy’s mission statement.
«For centuries, the United States Army has set the global standard for military excellence because its leaders embrace a lifetime of selfless service and embody the values of ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’ West Point’s removal of these core values from its mission statement risks eroding the foundation of American military leadership,» Cruz said in a statement in January.
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The CIA on Tuesday published a Persian-language video on its X account calling on Iranian dissidents to make secure contact with the agency amid renewed anti-government protests inside the country.
The post came as CIA Director John Ratcliffe joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a classified «Gang of Eight» briefing on Iran on Capitol Hill, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.
Written in Farsi, the CIA message says the agency «can hear your voice and wants to help you,» and provides operational guidance for those considering reaching out.
The agency urges activists not to use office computers or personal phone lines and instead, if possible, to rely on a disposable «burner» device. It advises ensuring no one can view their screen or monitor their activity.
The video walks viewers through digital security precautions designed to protect their identities.
Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It recommends using updated browsers such as Google Chrome, Safari or Firefox in Private Browsing or Incognito mode and clearing device and browser histories after making contact.
The video says the CIA also strongly encourages the use of encryption and anonymity tools such as Tor or a VPN, warning that without such protections, visiting the CIA website could be visible to Iranian security services.
The agency provides instructions for accessing its secure contact portal through Tor and other anti-filtering services.
TED CRUZ URGES US TO ARM IRANIAN PROTESTERS AS MILITIAS THREATEN ‘TOTAL WAR’ AGAINST AMERICA
The state tax building burned during Iran’s protests on Jan. 19, in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
The post comes as Iran entered its fourth day of escalating university protests and as U.S. negotiators are set to meet Iranian counterparts in Geneva Thursday for a second round of talks.
Tehran announced it would be building on «understandings forged in the previous round» and expressed determination to reach a «fair and equitable deal» swiftly.
In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran reiterated that it would «under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon,» while insisting it would not relinquish its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Calling the moment a «historic opportunity,» Tehran said a deal was within reach if diplomacy is prioritized, while affirming it would defend its sovereignty «with courage» at home and at the negotiating table.
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Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported Tuesday that the Revolutionary Guard conducted military drills involving missile launches, drone flights and live-fire exercises along the country’s coast, according to Ynet.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CIA for comment, who had nothing further to add.
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INTERNACIONAL
Japón desplegará misiles tierra-aire cerca de Taiwán para reforzar su defensa ante la amenaza militar del régimen chino
Japón desplegará misiles tierra-aire en la isla de Yonaguni antes de marzo de 2031, en la que será la posición militar nipona más próxima a Taiwán y un movimiento clave frente al incremento de la presión militar del régimen de China en Asia oriental.
El ministro de Defensa, Shinjiro Koizumi, confirmó que la instalación del sistema se llevará a cabo durante el año fiscal 2030, es decir, entre abril de 2030 y marzo de 2031, según el calendario oficial anunciado.
Yonaguni, ubicada a apenas 110 kilómetros de Taiwán, es la isla más occidental de Japón y forma parte del archipiélago Nansei. Actualmente ya alberga una base militar, pero será la primera vez que se desplegará allí una unidad de misiles guiados tierra-aire de medio alcance.
Según Koizumi, el objetivo es proporcionar una cobertura adicional frente a amenazas aéreas, en respuesta al aumento sostenido de la presencia militar china y a la preocupación por un posible conflicto en el estrecho de Taiwán, una de las zonas más sensibles del escenario geopolítico asiático.
El plan de despliegue fue anunciado originalmente en 2022, pero hasta ahora no se había divulgado el cronograma específico. Koizumi precisó que el gobierno llevará a cabo una sesión informativa para los residentes locales el 2 de marzo, en la que se explicarán los detalles del proyecto y las medidas de seguridad previstas.
El Ministerio de Defensa busca así minimizar la inquietud de la población de Yonaguni y garantizar la transparencia del proceso.
La determinación de Tokio se produce tras varios meses de creciente tensión diplomática y militar con Beijing. Esta semana, el régimen chino impuso nuevas restricciones de exportación a 40 empresas japonesas, incluidas firmas aeroespaciales y del sector defensa, acusándolas de contribuir al desarrollo del poderío militar nipón.
El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores chino, Wang Yi, manifestó que Japón pretende “reavivar el militarismo” y denunció los planes defensivos japoneses como una amenaza directa a la estabilidad regional.
La ubicación de Yonaguni es estratégica no solo por su proximidad a Taiwán, sino porque esta isla marca el extremo suroeste del territorio japonés, en una zona donde convergen intereses de China, Japón y Estados Unidos.
Taiwán, que funciona como territorio autónomo aunque China lo reclama como propio, se ha convertido en el epicentro de la rivalidad geopolítica en la región. Beijing no descarta la posibilidad de recurrir a la fuerza para recuperar la isla, lo que genera preocupación en Tokio por la posibilidad de un conflicto armado a escasa distancia de su territorio.
En noviembre pasado, la primera ministra japonesa, Sanae Takaichi, advirtió que Japón podría intervenir militarmente si China atacara Taiwán, lo que incrementó la tensión diplomática con el gobierno chino y dio lugar a nuevas represalias, como advertencias de viaje, restricciones comerciales y la inclusión de empresas japonesas en listas de control de exportaciones.
El despliegue de misiles forma parte de una estrategia más amplia impulsada por las Fuerzas de Autodefensa de Japón para reforzar la seguridad en el suroeste del país y disuadir cualquier avance militar chino.
En los últimos años, Japón ha incrementado la presencia de sus fuerzas en el archipiélago Nansei y ha estrechado la cooperación militar con Estados Unidos, realizando ejercicios conjuntos destinados a mejorar la capacidad de respuesta ante situaciones de crisis o agresión. Según el Ministerio de Defensa, estas maniobras buscan enviar una señal clara de disuasión a Beijing y contribuir a la estabilidad regional.
Las autoridades japonesas subrayan que el fortalecimiento de la defensa en Yonaguni responde exclusivamente a la necesidad de proteger la soberanía nacional y garantizar la paz en la región, aunque el gobierno chino sostiene que Tokio utiliza la situación en Taiwán como pretexto para expandir su arsenal y aumentar la tensión. Este cruce de acusaciones se produce en un contexto de maniobras militares chinas cerca de Taiwán, interceptaciones de aeronaves japonesas y ejercicios conjuntos entre China y Rusia en las inmediaciones de Okinawa.
(Con información de AFP y EFE)
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Several Democratic lawmakers are hosting State of the Union guests who have come under scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security, including suspected illegal immigrants, Dreamers and citizens arrested for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
A Fox News correspondent received the list when inquiring with the agency about a tweet released earlier Tuesday that said some Democrats are «planning to bring illegal aliens as guests to the State of the Union.»
«Once again, they are putting illegal aliens above the safety of American citizens. Yesterday alone our officers arrested pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals from our communities.
«President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never return,» the agency said in its tweet.
A Fox News Digital review of the list found guests with varied backgrounds and circumstances.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is reportedly hosting Aliya Rahman, who was detained during an operation targeting Ecuadorian national Jonathan Chachipanta-Pualacin Jan. 13.
Members of Congress begin to arrive in the House Chamber before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., 24, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
«ICE executed an arrest warrant to arrest an illegal alien with a final order of removal in the Park Avenue area of Minneapolis. ICE officers apprehended four illegal aliens,» a DHS spokesperson said.
«As officers carried out their law enforcement duties, a significant crowd surrounded them and began impeding law enforcement operations — a federal crime. One agitator ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene. She was arrested for obstruction,» the spokesperson added.
DHS further disputed claims from outlets such as the CBC that reported Rahman was denied medical care after being pulled from her vehicle and detained.
DHS SLAMS DEMS FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAW: ‘IT IS QUITE LITERALLY THEIR JOB TO CHANGE IT’
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., arrives for a town hall event in Minneapolis Jan. 27, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Another Omar guest, Mary Granlund, is a local school board chairwoman who has taken action since the detention of a 5-year-old at Columbia Heights School, according to a statement from Omar’s office.
Granlund works with a group of faculty members who are «conducting daily patrols, working to connect detained children and families with legal assistance and coordinating food deliveries for families too scared to leave their homes,» Omar’s office said.
A DHS spokesperson said ICE does not go into schools and instead targets child predators to protect those same children.
Rep. Jesus Garcia’s guest is Marimar Martinez, who DHS alleged was part of an «ambush» of federal officers in October and whom the agency labeled a «domestic terrorist.»
Martinez, who was reportedly armed and «has a history of doxxing federal agents,» «took defensive fire» from CBP and was later taken into FBI custody after a hospital stay.
When asked about the criticism, Garcia told Fox News Digital, «I invited Marimar Martinez to be my guest to the State of the Union because her own government almost murdered her and is now covering it up by smearing her and failing to hold Charles Exum and other agents accountable.
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Sen. Richard Durbin, left, Rep. Jesus Garcia (Reuters)
«This is their playbook,» the Chicago lawmaker added. «I’m proud that Marimar is my guest. Her courage stands in stark contrast to the cowardice and brutality of DHS and the rest of this lawless Administration.»
In a prior statement, Garcia said that a Border Patrol agent «brutally shot Marimar and bragged about it, and the Trump administration wrongly called her a ‘domestic terrorist’.»
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the forefather of the DREAM Act, invited Tereza Lee, a pianist and daughter of Korean immigrants whom Durbin said is the inspiration behind the legislation he has put forth in each Congress since 2001. The latest version was introduced in 2025 and co-sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
In a statement Monday, Durbin announced Lee’s invitation, crediting her «bravery for sharing her story» and adding that President Donald Trump’s «animus towards immigrants is on full display in his second term.»
DHS noted the DREAM Act would «allow noncitizens without legal status who were brought to the U.S. as children and meet certain education, military service or work requirements — to earn lawful permanent residence.»
Another Illinois lawmaker, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, is inviting the daughter of a man detained by DHS during the height of Operation Midway Blitz.
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U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., answers questions during a news conference about the recent congressional delegation trip to the Indo-Pacific region on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 2022. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo)
«Donald Trump can try to rewrite his record tonight, but communities across America are living with the consequences of militarized immigration operations that have terrorized families and left Americans dead,» Krishnamoorthi said in announcing that he invited University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Jamie to join him.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., is inviting Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a man whom DHS said was detained in May 2024 while driving the car of his father, who was being sought by authorities.
Marcelo’s student visa had lapsed, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that the «facts [of his case] haven’t changed.»
«[He] is still an illegal alien and subject to removal proceedings. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country.»
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is hosting a Venezuelan immigrant whose son was detained during a May 2025 immigration court hearing and is now being held in Pennsylvania.
«Dylan Josue Lopez Contreras is an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the U.S. more than one year ago. Under the Biden administration, he was encountered at the border and released into the country,» a DHS spokesperson countered.
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«On May 21, 2025, Contreras was arrested and placed in expedited removal proceedings. Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. [Joe] Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
«ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.»
Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., is hosting Stephanie Quintino, whose parents, Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez, have been deported to Colombia, according to the agency.
Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., is hosting Carolina Dias-Goncalves, a Dreamer at the University of Utah who was temporarily held at an ICE detention center after a Colorado traffic stop.
Rep. Robert Menendez Jr., D-N.J., is honoring Adriana Quiroz Zapata, an asylum seeker from Colombia who reports said fled a violent and «politically connected» former partner with his choice of guest.
Zapata’s niece, Monica Van Housen, who has been working to prevent Zapata from being deported, will be joining Menendez in the chamber.
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«Adriana, Monica and their family deserve so much better from America than what Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, and ICE have subjected them to,» Menendez told the New Jersey Globe.
Fox News Digital reached out to each member mentioned by DHS for comment.
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