The Defense Department threatened to take "extraordinary measures" if Virginia Democrats pass a bill to put the Virginia Military Institute fully under the commonwealth's control.

Virginia Democrats are looking to revive a diversity, equity, and inclusion push to possibly end VMI's status as a state-funded university, the Washington Examiner reported. House Bill 1374 would shut down VMI's Board of Visitors and place the school fully under Virginia's control.

"The Department of War is monitoring Virginia House Bill 1374, focused on the governance of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), with significant concern," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X on Tuesday. "For generations, the unique military environment at VMI has made the Institute a vital source of commissioned officers for the Armed Forces.

"The stability of this proven leadership pipeline is a matter of direct national security interest and any action that could disrupt the ecosystem requires our full attention. DoW reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI and our commitment to the cadets and midshipmen currently training there remains steadfast. We urge the Virginia General Assembly to consider the broader implications of this bill on military readiness, as well as the federal government's long-standing investment in this critical institution."

Virginia Democrats also proposed House Bill 1377, which would create a task force to examine whether the commonwealth should continue to fund VMI. In 2021, then-Gov. Ralph Northam (D) put together a task force that claimed VMI engaged in widespread discrimination. The new bill would end Virginia's funding for VMI if the task force found that it didn't take proper action to address the 2021 concerns.

VMI received 27.5% of its funding from Virginia in the most recent academic year.

Virginia Del. Dan Helmer (D), who introduced House Bill 1377, said the commonwealth shouldn’t give money to an institution “incapable of separating itself from a Lost Cause ideology that promotes White supremacy,” referring to a nostalgic view of the Confederacy.

VMI produced many of the Confederacy's generals during the Civil War.