President Trump has signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to end all programs that encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion, known as DEI.

The order says the initiatives undermine military leadership, lethality, and force readiness.

Here's Nick Schiff for now on the debate those programs have inspired and what they've tried to do.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is vital to making us a stronger, more unified Navy.

For years, the military has argued diversity makes it stronger.

The Tuskegee Airmen broke the color barrier.

America's women broke the gender barrier.

For the last five years, initiatives begun under the previous Trump administration and expanded under the Biden administration have argued equity and inclusion builds brotherhood.

So we understand the value and importance of taking care of people. And the military has celebrated how its expanded representation of women

and black and Hispanic service members and leaders.

Research shows that organizations that demonstrate DEI have higher organizational effectiveness

and innovation.

There is no justifiable reason for discrimination.

The military described DEI as a continuation of historic efforts to fight racism, including

as one of the first American institutions to integrate.

This is a big deal, merit.

Our country is going to be based on merit again.

Can you believe it? But President Trump has argued diversity efforts are discriminatory and distract from the military's core mission, an argument echoed by now Secretary of Defense, Pete Heggseth.

DEI policies of today are not the same as what happened back then.

They're dividing troops inside formations, causing commanders

to walk on eggshells, not putting meritocracy first. That's the indictment that's made by

those serving right now. In one of his first posts as secretary, Hegg Seth wrote, DoD does not

...