Kevin Lytle/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trump Administration Removes, Then Restores Jackie Robinson Story on Defense Department Website

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric W. Bolin | Last updated Mar 19, 2025 11:36 PM ET

Jackie Robinson is arguably the most beloved player in Major League Baseball history. Nowadays, that is.

It was hardly the case when Robinson broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming the first black player in league history upon making his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Since 2004, Major League Baseball has devoted April 15, the date of Robinson's debut, as Jackie Robinson Day. Players across the league wear his uniform number, 42, on their jerseys. His descendents are honored, as well.

In 2024, a statue of Robinson in Wichita, Kan., was vandalized and stolen from a city park. It was later replaced by an artist out of Colorado.

This week, the United States government's Department of Defense website removed an article about Robinson's military service. President Donald Trump's administration has called for a purge of references to diversity, equity and inclusion, colloquially known as DEI. The timing of when the article was originally removed was unclear.

However, at 1:24 p.m. ET, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was cited as saying he was "pleased by the rapid compliance" of the article's removal. Other articles removed included stories about Navajo Code Talkers and Ira Hayes, who was one of the soldiers who raised the American Flag at Iwo Jima.

About an hour later, press secretary John Ullyot released an updated statement.

"Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima and so many others -- we salute them for their strong and in many cases heroic service to our country, full stop," the statement read. "We do not view or highlight them through the prism of immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or sex. We do so only by recognizing their patriotism and dedication to the warfighting mission like ever other American who has worn the uniform."

At 3:09 p.m. ET, the article about Robinson was restored. The administration did not respond to requests from ESPN about whether the removal was a mistake or purposeful.

The article is part of a series titled "Sports Heroes Who Served." Robinson served as a second lieutenant in the army during World War II.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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