Hegseth Bans Military From Attending Elite Universities

Secretary of War cites 'wokeness and weakness' as reasons for the ban

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a ban on Department of War attendants at elite universities like Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Brown, and Yale, starting with the 2026-27 academic year. Hegseth accused these universities of becoming "factories of anti-American resentment and military disdain" and claimed they have replaced "the study of victory and pragmatic realism with the promotion of wokeness and weakness."

Why it matters

This move by the Secretary of War is seen as a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the military and certain elite universities, which have been accused of promoting left-leaning ideologies that are at odds with traditional military values and training.

The details

Hegseth stated that the Department of War is "finished subsidizing the corruption of our own in uniform class" and that they "cannot and will not send our most capable officers, senior officers, into graduate programs that undermine the very values they have sworn to uphold." The ban will also include a review of the department's own internal war colleges to ensure they are "bastions of strategic thought" dedicated to developing the "most lethal and effective leaders and war fighters."

  • The ban will go into effect starting with the 2026-27 academic year.

The players

Pete Hegseth

The Secretary of War who announced the ban on Department of War attendants at elite universities.

Princeton University

One of the elite universities that will be affected by the ban.

Columbia University

One of the elite universities that will be affected by the ban.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

One of the elite universities that will be affected by the ban.

Brown University

One of the elite universities that will be affected by the ban.

Yale University

One of the elite universities that will be affected by the ban.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This is not education, this is indoctrination.”

— Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War (foxnews.com)

“The Department of War is finished subsidizing the corruption of our own in uniform class. We're done paying for the privilege of our enemies' wicked ideologies to be taught to our future leaders. We've had enough.”

— Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War (foxnews.com)

What’s next

The ban will go into effect starting with the 2026-27 academic year, and the Department of War will conduct a top-to-bottom review of its own internal war colleges to ensure they are aligned with the department's mission.

The takeaway

This decision by the Secretary of War reflects the growing ideological divide between the military and certain elite universities, which are seen as promoting values and ideologies that are at odds with traditional military culture and training. The move is likely to further escalate tensions and raise questions about the appropriate role of the military in higher education.