Virginia Democrats are going after the Virginia Military Institute – the place that trained George Marshall, the architect of Allied victory in World War II.
They waited until Trump dismantled DEI across federal agencies to launch their attack.
Now they've filed two bills that could close VMI's doors forever, and cadets who signed up to defend America are fighting back.
Governor Spanberger Appointed Ralph Northam to VMI Board of Visitors
One of Abigail Spanberger's first acts as Virginia's new governor was putting Ralph Northam on VMI's Board of Visitors.
Northam – the same governor who ordered the 2021 investigation that accused VMI of "institutional racism" despite the school having no explicitly racist policies.
That investigation cost Virginia taxpayers $1 million and declared the institution was designed to serve white men – never mind that VMI produced 300 generals, seven Medal of Honor recipients, and the Secretary of State who rebuilt Europe after Hitler destroyed it.
HB 1377 and HB 1374 Threaten Virginia Military Institute State Funding
HB 1377 creates a task force to evaluate whether the state should keep funding VMI – as if there's a question about whether America needs the institution that trained Trump's Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. John "Dan" Caine.
HB 1374 goes further – it would dissolve VMI's Board of Visitors entirely and hand control to Virginia State University's board.
If VMI loses state funding, the school dies.
Virginia gave VMI $19.3 million in 2021 – without that money, the nation's oldest state-supported military college shuts down permanently.
VMI Cadets Defend Military College Against DEI Investigation
Michael Ferrara and Devin Auzenne – both graduating this spring to serve in the Air Force and Marines – aren't buying the Democrats' racism claims.
"I can say VMI is the most inclusive environment that I have ever been a part of," Auzenne told Fox News.
Democrats claim VMI still harbors racism and sexism despite a $1 million investigation that found no explicit racist or sexist policies.
The cadets explained VMI's Honor Code requires cadets to stand against intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, hate and oppression.
That's not good enough for Democrats – they want VMI to embrace the same DEI poison Trump just purged from federal agencies.
Virginia Democrats Push DEI After Trump Banned It at Military Academies
Northam's investigation happened during Biden's first year – when corporations and universities were racing to out-woke each other.
VMI removed its Stonewall Jackson statue, hired a Black superintendent, and created diversity offices to appease Democrats.
None of it mattered.
The investigation still declared VMI guilty of maintaining a racist and sexist culture – the exact phrase activists use when they've decided an institution must be destroyed.
Now Trump has banned DEI at military academies nationwide, and Virginia Democrats are rushing to force it back onto VMI through state control.
Democrats are targeting VMI specifically because it represents everything they hate about traditional American military culture.
House Armed Services Committee Republicans Blast Virginia General Assembly
Rep. Pat Fallon serves on the House Armed Services Committee and didn't mince words about Spanberger's moves.
"Less than a month in office as governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger has shown a commitment to turning the commonwealth into California," Fallon told Fox News Digital.
"The left's renewed focus on VMI is not intended to benefit our military."
Rep. Rob Wittman – who represents VMI's region and served in Virginia Tech's corps of cadets – pointed out that VMI has been training America's military leaders since 1839.
This isn't about improving VMI – it's about destroying an institution that produces leaders who don't buy into leftist ideology.
Mike Waltz and Gen. Dan Caine Are VMI Graduates Serving Trump
Gen. George Marshall graduated from VMI in 1901.
He became Chief of Staff of the Army during World War II, architect of the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Europe, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
Mike Waltz, Trump's Ambassador to the United Nations who spent 27 years in the Army and Special Forces, graduated from VMI.
Gen. John "Dan" Caine, Trump's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is another VMI graduate leading America's military.
That's the institution Democrats want to shut down or put under ideological control – the school that trained the men who defeated fascism and now serve in Trump's administration fighting the left's cultural destruction.
Virginia Legislature Could Defund America's Oldest State Military College
The bills sit in Virginia's Democrat-controlled legislature.
Spanberger's appointees – including Northam – now control positions on VMI's board.
If HB 1377's task force recommends cutting funding, VMI faces closure.
If HB 1374 passes, Virginia State University's board takes control of VMI – effectively ending its independence and military character.
Ferrara heads to the Air Force as a developmental engineer – the kind of technical expertise VMI has been producing for nearly two centuries.
Auzenne will lead Marines – trained by an institution that Democrats claim is too racist to deserve public funding.
Both men defended their school against accusations they know are false.
Both will serve America regardless of what Democrats do to VMI.
The question is whether Virginia's legislature will destroy America's first military college to score political points, or whether enough Democrats remember that some institutions matter more than ideology.
Sources:
- Preston Mizell, "VMI cadets fight back as Virginia Democrats threaten to close historic military college," Fox News, January 29, 2026.
- Bill Wyatt, "Investigation Shows Racism Present, Sometimes Tolerated at VMI," VPM News, June 2, 2021.
- Michael Feggans, "Bill proposed by VB delegate would put VMI under VSU's board," WAVY, January 23, 2026.
- Ian Schwartz, "Virginia Democrats Blasted for Taking Aim at Famous Military Academy to Bring Back DEI Policies," Breitbart, January 24, 2026.
- Laura Spitalniak, "Trump executive order targets DEI at military academies," Higher Ed Dive, January 29, 2025.
- Jamaal Abdul-Alim, "Hegseth bars 'race-based' admissions goals, DEI curriculum at military academies," Higher Ed Dive, February 3, 2025.