Middle School Students at U.S. Military Base Protest, Walk Out During Pete Hegseth Visit

Middle school students on a U.S. military base in Germany walked out in protest during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit, opposing the Pentagon's removal of diversity programs in military schools.

Since President Donald Trump's return to office in January 2025, his administration has swiftly moved to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government, including the Department of Defense (DoD).

On Tuesday, 55 students at Patch Middle School staged a walkout and gathered in the courtyard for approximately 50 minutes to protest recent Pentagon actions targeting diversity programs in Department of Defense schools, Stripes reported.

The demonstration coincided with Hegseth's visit to Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, where he was attending meetings at U.S. Africa Command and U.S. European Command.

Hegseth, appointed as defense secretary, has prioritized rolling back these programs, arguing that they create division within the military.

As part of this effort, the Pentagon has halted official identity recognition events such as Black History Month, ordered a review of educational curricula at DoD-run schools, and disbanded student groups like Pride clubs and Women in STEM.

According to a school memo sent to parents, the Patch Middle School demonstration was sparked by "recent events" but did not directly reference the Pentagon's DEI rollback.