In a shocking and disrespectful move, Secretary of War Crimes Pete Hegseth had the portrait of General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. removed from the Air Force Art Gallery and left the space empty.
General James was a true American hero who:
— Fought in 179 combat missions during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam;
— Became the first Black four-star general in U.S. military history; and
— Once stood up to Muammar Qaddafi in Libya, with a gun in hand, making him surrender.
Presidents like Ronald Reagan honored James.
Even Ron DeSantis supported naming a bridge after him. He was respected by people from all political parties as a trailblazer and a hero, who truly earned every star on his uniform.
Just to make it clear, Hegseth spent most of his National Guard time in public affairs, never advancing past the rank of major.
Now he acts like he’s some kind of tough, battle-tested veteran.
The portrait of James was taken down as part of Hegseth’s campaign against diversity in the military.
This move has had a real impact—some Pentagon workers who saw the portrait every day for years reportedly retired after it was removed.
Hegseth has also blocked promotions for Black and female officers, fired senior Black leaders, and worked to bring back Confederate monuments.
It seems he truly believes that achievements by Black military members don’t matter in his Pentagon.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a combat veteran, called the removal of Chappie James “despicable and not representative of the Army I served in.”
Removing a pioneering general’s portrait and leaving a blank wall is a clear and deliberate insult to generations of Black Americans who served and sacrificed for this country.
With Trump’s support, Hegseth is erasing heroes who don’t fit his narrow, all-white vision of the U.S. military.
In reality, one-third of active military members aren’t white, and a fifth are women.
Chappie James has earned a place in history that Pete Hegseth will never, ever reach.
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