West Point Professor Resigns Over Curriculum Changes, Draws Rebuke from Defense Secretary

A longtime professor at the US Military Academy at West Point has resigned, citing sweeping educational changes driven in part by the Trump administration—a move that quickly drew criticism from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Fox News reports.

Dr. Graham Parsons, a tenured philosophy professor who has served at West Point for 13 years, announced his resignation in an op-ed published in The New York Times on Thursday. In the piece, Parsons sharply criticized what he described as a politicized transformation of the academy’s curriculum and educational standards.

“I will be resigning after this semester from my tenured position at West Point,” Parsons wrote. “I cannot tolerate these changes, which prevent me from doing my job responsibly. I am ashamed to be associated with the academy in its current form.”

He went on to claim that, in a matter of days, the academy had abandoned its core principles. Once committed to providing cadets with a “broad-based, critical-minded, nonpartisan education,” Parsons said West Point was now eliminating courses, modifying syllabi, and censoring content to align with the ideological agenda of the Trump administration.

The changes follow a series of executive actions and internal memos issued by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth that direct military educational institutions to avoid topics deemed politically divisive or ideologically biased. Critics say the new directives limit academic freedom and suppress essential debate in military classrooms.

Following news of Parsons’ resignation, Hegseth responded on social media with a blunt message:

“You will not be missed Professor Parsons.”

Parsons’ departure also coincides with recent controversies at West Point, including the academy’s decision to remove the historic motto “Duty, Honor, Country” from its official mission statement—a move that has sparked debate over the institution’s evolving identity.

After the publication of Parsons’ op-ed, his faculty profile page was removed from West Point’s official website.

The US Military Academy has not issued an official statement regarding his resignation or the accusations made in his editorial.