The Left’s Attack On VMI For Lack Of Wokeness Must End

By Col. Bill Conner, Esq., USA ret, The Citadel ’90
Chairman, STARRS Board of Advisors

As happened with Joe Biden in 2020, the Democrats in Virginia pulled off another bait and switch with Abigail Spanberger as Governor. The Democrats ran Spanberger as a moderate to win yet now governing to the left of Karl Marx in all the initial executive orders.

As one VA GOP lawmaker put it, “Virginians were sold a facade of practical solutions to make the commonwealth affordable—instead, they’re getting Zohran Mamdani-style collectivism..”

And another noted “Gov. Spanberger campaigned as a centrist pragmatist, but she was a progressive in moderate’s clothing from the start.” (Fox News, Jan. 20, 2026)

Beyond following Mamdani style socialism for Virginia, arguably the worst damage is what Spanberger and the Democrats in the legislature are trying to do the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).

Democrat punishing of VMI for giving up wokeness goes well beyond Virginia. It makes clear the Democrats are passionate about restoring and furthering wokeness.

VMI is a national treasure which has been critical to our defending America and providing key leaders. Its alumni include the architect of World War II, 5-star General George C. Marshall. General George Patton and famed Marine General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller were also cadets there. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan “Raizin” Caine, and current UN Ambassador, Mike Waltz, are VMI grads.

Like The Citadel in South Carolina and four others, VMI is recognized as a “Senior Military College” by the US Code. Approximately half of the VMI Corps of Cadets commissions into the military upon graduation.

For VMI to remain a Senior Military College, it must adhere to directives of the Department of War which oversee its ROTC commissioning programs. These directives include ending the unfair Marxist DEI and CRT programs which proliferated under Biden. (White House, Jan.20, 2025)

As A Board member of The Citadel’s governing body (BOV), I have had to ensure The Citadel was following DOW directives with regard to ending any vestige of DEI. President Trump ran on ending DEI and received the mandate of the American people.