The U.S. Army has ordered West Point to reintroduce its historic crest on Bibles housed within the military academy's Cadet Chapel, reversing a change that occurred during the Biden administration.

According to Fox News, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll’s directive follows a lawsuit filed by a conservative watchdog group and highlights a growing debate over political influence and tradition in military institutions.

Driscoll announced the decision on Friday, calling for the restoration of the crest, which had been removed when new Bibles were placed in the chapel. His statement criticized the previous administration’s approach as overly political and inconsistent with West Point’s historic values.

The inscribed Bibles in question display the phrase, “The United States Military Academy, West Point, New York,” but do not include the academy’s official crest. The West Point emblem, which has undergone revisions over the years, typically features a bald eagle positioned above the Black Knights mascot.

The Secretary’s announcement came during a particularly high-profile week as he testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on January 30 regarding his nomination.

Lawsuit shines light on removal decision

The crest’s absence was first noticed in late 2024 by the MacArthur Society, a group formed by West Point alumni out of concern for what they see as increasing politicization at the institution. In response, they alerted Judicial Watch, a conservative legal advocacy organization.

Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act request in December 2024 seeking documents on why the crest was left off the new Bibles. The group escalated the matter by filing a lawsuit on Tuesday to obtain a response.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton issued a statement celebrating Driscoll’s reversal, saying it demonstrates how litigation can yield results and help preserve what he characterized as traditional values in military life.

Military and legal responses remain limited

West Point, when contacted for comment regarding the change, noted that the chapel Bibles bore an inscription of the academy’s full name but offered no explanation for the crest’s removal. As of Friday, the academy had not responded to the central question of who ordered the change or why.

The Pentagon declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. The case raised further questions about past decisions to reduce religious imagery and phrasing at military institutions and whether those were motivated by constitutional concerns or political pressures.

In 2012, a separate series of Bibles designed for military personnel was withdrawn from official military exchange outlets. That removal came after objections from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation about potential government endorsement of religion.

Debate grows over symbols in military tradition

The controversy surrounding the chapel Bibles adds to larger ongoing conversations about the role of religious symbols and slogans within U.S. military culture. Some conservative commentators have accused West Point of marginalizing foundational principles such as “Duty, Honor, Country.”

These concerns intensified after reports claimed the phrase had been downplayed or removed from West Point’s mission statement, though the academy has not confirmed any official change to its core values.

West Point trains future U.S. Army officers and has long used historic crests and symbols to reflect institutional pride and values. The academy also commemorates each incoming cadet class with a unique version of its crest, such as the Class of 2026 unveiling theirs during a campus event in March 2023.

Driscoll links the decision to the founding values

Secretary Driscoll emphasized the role of faith and tradition in military history when explaining his decision, stating that West Point’s legacy includes many who have found guidance through religious texts. He characterized the previous removal as reflective of what he believes is overreach from partisan agendas.

“Since the founding of West Point and before, generations of cadets, officers, and Soldiers have drawn strength and inspiration from God’s word,” Driscoll said during a statement to media outlets.

He further described the crest’s removal as part of an alleged trend of “far-left politics” influencing decisions within military settings, a claim likely to fuel further partisan discussions about the military’s direction.

Symbol's future continues to prompt debate

The Army has not yet specified how quickly the Bibles will be updated, nor whether additional changes will be made to address related concerns raised by alumni groups and political activists.

As the Judicial Watch lawsuit proceeds, attention may turn to internal communications or policies that led to the decision, and whether other institutions might have made similar removals without public notice.

For now, the Secretary’s directive appears to set a precedent that signals a return to traditional imagery in at least this one high-profile setting—a move critics and supporters alike believe could shape broader military culture decisions in the future.