‘You Will Not Be Missed’: Hegseth Responds to West Point Professor Who Quit Over Trump Admin Education Reforms

West Point Professor Resigns Over Changes Under President Trump

Philosophy professor Graham Parsons announced his resignation from the United States Military Academy at West Point after 13 years, citing what he described as significant changes to the institution’s educational principles under President Trump’s current administration — a move that prompted a dismissive response from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. U.S. Secretary of Defense / Wikimedia

Hegseth on Departure: ‘You Will Not Be Missed’

His departure provoked a scornful reaction from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who dismissed Parsons with a blunt statement in a post on X: “You will not be missed Professor Parsons.” U.S. Secretary of Defense / Wikimedia

Parsons Says He’s ‘Ashamed’ to Be Associated With Academy

In a New York Times op-ed, Parsons expressed deep concern over the rapid changes at West Point, writing, “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.” USMA Public Affairs Office / Wikimedia

Professor Claims West Point ‘Abandoned Its Core Principles’

Parsons claimed the academy had strayed from its educational mission, stating, “In a matter of days, the United States Military Academy at West Point abandoned its core principles. Once a school that strove to give cadets the broad-based, critical-minded, nonpartisan education they need for careers as Army officers, it was suddenly eliminating courses, modifying syllabuses and censoring arguments to comport with the ideological tastes of the Trump administration.” Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Parsons Points to Trump and Hegseth’s Role in Academic Restrictions

Parsons specifically criticized recent executive actions and internal memos issued under the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Hegseth, which restricted the content military educators could teach. The White House / Wikimedia

Parsons Says Policy Shifts Undermined Curriculum and Faculty Research

Parsons said these moves amounted to “a sweeping assault on the school’s curriculum and the faculty members’ research.”

The professor’s profile was promptly removed from West Point’s official site following the announcement of his resignation. Pixabay / Pexels