West Point Drops Appeal of Judge’s Block on Faculty Gag Order

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in May 2026 that blocked the United States Military Academy at West Point from enforcing a policy requiring civilian faculty to obtain department‑head approval before speaking publicly about their professional work. The policy, adopted in February 2025, covered media interviews, op‑eds, social‑media posts, journal articles and conference presentations and was criticized as a chilling gag order.

Law professor Tim Bakken, who sued the academy alleging First Amendment violations, was granted the injunction, and the court indicated his claims were likely to succeed on the merits. West Point had a deadline to appeal the ruling but chose not to file an appeal, leaving the injunction in place while the underlying litigation continues.