TINIAN ISLAND, MARIANA ISLANDS - CIRCA SEPTEMBER 30, 1945: Photo by James E. Weichers of the Enola Gay, US Air Force B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6th, 1945. (Photo credit: Dan Thornberg / Shutterstock)
Critics unloaded on new Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth after a new report Thursday night that references to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient and even the Enola Gay — the plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan — were among tens of thousands of materials designated for deletion by the Department of Defense.
A database obtained by The Associated Press flagged the photos and online posts set to be axed. One official told AP as many as 100,000 images or posts could get swept up in Trump's purge of content it deems related diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI initiatives.
Hegseth gave the military a Wednesday deadline to strip content that highlights diversity initiatives.
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But the report noted the order includes the word "gay" — and in some cases materials appeared to be marked for deletion because they included the word, such as the B-29 plane Enola Gay, which dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
The report drew widespread condemnation from social media critics.
"What a piece of s--- you are @SecDef," chided Fred Wellman, a U.S. Army combat veteran and host of the "On Democracy" podcast.
He added: "Enola Gay. These f---ers are bigots and f---ing idiots too."
"Apparently image of 'Enola Gay' bomber was removed because it has the word 'gay' in it. Ya can’t make this stuff up," remarked Josh Kraushaar, editor in chief at Jewish Insider.
Chris Meagher, former spokesman of the Pentagon, called the reporting "bonkers."
"It’s led to, among thousands of others, an image of the B-29 aircraft Enola Gay, which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II, being flagged because the file included the word 'gay,'" he said.
"Including images of the Enola Gay and its flight crew. Because of the word 'Gay.' Complete lunacy and literally an attempt to whitewash history," wrote Chicago Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson.
"This isn’t a joke. They literally flagged it because of 'DEI,'" wrote Michael Collier of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.