Two Navy SEALs from Virginia’s SEAL Team 4 are facing disciplinary action for creating and circulating racist memes that targeted a Black teammate, while their platoon and team leaders are also being held accountable for leadership failures, as per The AP.
The two enlisted SEALs developed and shared memes depicting the sailor as a slave, including edited images that portrayed him as a monkey and in chains aboard a slave ship, according to visuals reviewed by the Associated Press. The content was shared in a group Signal chat beginning in 2022 and continued for years. The sailor, who reported the incidents earlier this year, had previously been removed from the SEAL program, which he said was a direct result of the racist behavior.
An investigation by Naval Special Warfare Group 2 concluded that the sailor’s qualifications had been unjustly revoked. Officials have now reinstated his SEAL status and will award him back pay. The group oversees SEAL Team 4, based at Joint Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
The investigation also found that leaders failed to properly respond to the sailor’s complaints. As a result, both the platoon and team leadership are facing administrative actions, including official reprimands, that could end their SEAL careers.
The two sailors responsible for the racist content are receiving non-judicial punishment and punitive letters — measures that can lead to demotion, loss of pay, or career-ending consequences. Additional actions are still under review.
In a statement, Naval Special Warfare Command acknowledged the probe into “serious allegations of unprofessional conduct” and affirmed its commitment to “a climate of dignity and respect.”
“After conducting a thorough and fair investigation, we will hold anyone found responsible of misconduct accountable,” the command said.
Parlatore praised Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, head of Naval Special Warfare Command, for swiftly addressing the misconduct and working to rectify the injustice faced by his client.
The incident adds to a growing list of troubling investigations into cultural and leadership failures within the Navy’s elite special warfare units. It also highlights ongoing racial challenges in the SEAL community, which remains significantly less diverse than the broader Navy.
As of 2021, 95% of SEAL and combatant-craft crew officers were white, and just 2% were Black, compared to 24% of Black officers in the overall Navy. The enlisted force is only marginally more diverse.
Concerns about racism in special forces come amid efforts by Navy leadership to attract a broader and more diverse pool of recruits — efforts that could be undercut as the Trump administration and Defense Department leaders push to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the military.
The sailor who filed the original complaint submitted over a dozen specific allegations of racism; roughly half were substantiated. During the course of the investigation, a second sailor — who is white — came forward with complaints of bullying by fellow platoon members, raising broader concerns about command climate.
The case follows other recent high-profile failures within Naval Special Warfare. In one, a 2023 investigation into the death of a SEAL candidate uncovered serious lapses in medical care, oversight, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs. In another, two SEALs drowned in January 2024 during a mission due to inadequate training and poor understanding of emergency procedures.
