Congressman Gonzalez Leads Letter to President Trump Demanding Website on Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez be Reinstated

Letter also demands that Trump Administration End the Purge of Diverse Servicemembers and Veterans from Military Records

EDINBURG, TEXAS – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced that he led over 50 House Democrats in denouncing the Trump Administration’s decision to remove information on Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez from the Naval History and Heritage Command website. The letter brings attention to not only Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez’s shameful erasure, but the erasure of the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, Former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, and other named Hispanic, Latino, women, and minority servicemembers and veterans.

The letter states: “These brave men and women fought and oftentimes laid down their lives for a country that is erasing their achievements for heinous reasons. Honoring these brave individuals is not about diversity or equity. Honoring them is about remembering their great sacrifice and dutiful service to our nation. We stand firm in our commitment to defending the integrity of our military and the truth of its history, and demand that you halt any continued effort to erase our veterans and servicemembers from the record under the guise of purging DEI content. We also ask that you reinstate Sgt. Gonzalez’s webpage honoring his service on the Naval History and Heritage Command Website as well as anyone that was removed under the guise of eliminating DEI content.”

The letter is endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus along with: Chair Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Deputy Chair Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09), Whip Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Vice Chair of Member Engagement Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Freshman Representative Congressman Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-52), Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), New Democrat Coalition Vice Chair for Outreach Congresswoman Salud Carbajal (CA-24), New Democrat Coalition Vice Chair for Communications Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), Whip Congresswoman Maryland Strickland (WA-10), Leadership Member at Large Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chair for Policy and Legislative Strategy Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46), Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chair for Administration Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35), Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42), Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Congressman Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Congressman Sam T. Liccardo (CA-16), Congressman Pablo Jose Hernandez (PR-AL), Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39), Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), Congressman Al Green (TX-09), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Congressman Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-02), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Congressman Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Congressman Emanuel Cleaver III (MO-05), Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04), Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), Congressman Andre Carson (IN-07), Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07), , Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), Congressman Troy Carter (LA-02), Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Congressman Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), , Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02), and Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04).

Read the full letter here.