Virginia Democrats back down from VMI funding bill amid Trump criticism

Virginia Democrats have backed away from legislation that would have eliminated state funding for the Virginia Military Institute amid criticism from the Trump administration, VMI students and lawmakers in Congress.

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly introduced House Bill 1377, which originally proposed creating a task force capable of Eliminate state funding For school. After scrutiny and debate, the Virginia House of Representatives last Thursday passed an amended bill that no longer gives the authority to strip the historic military college of funding.

The legislation, which will now go before the Virginia Senate, would still provide for the examination of school policies, although state funding is no longer at risk, according to the text of the bill.

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“As a student at VMI, the bill was amended so that it no longer threatens state funding for the school, and now it is a matter of substantive review,” student Michael Ferrara told Fox News Digital. “VMI is not perfect, but it pushes us to improve every day and judges people on character and performance.”

Republican critics, such as Rep. Pat Fallon, blamed Virginia’s new Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger and “far-left” agendas for initially targeting the historic institution. (Photo by Wayne McNamee/Getty Images/Photo by Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Ferrara was joined by student Devin Ozen, who serves as the regiment’s commander, in celebrating the changes to the bill.

“The amendments to House Bill 1377 reassure me, as a current student, that the institution that provided me with opportunities of a lifetime and shaped me into a man of character will remain open,” Ozen told Fox.

“I hope that the Commonwealth and those outside VMI will come to see what I have learned from firsthand experience, that VMI is an inclusive environment that looks at its students by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin,” Ozen added.

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Virginia Democrats also introduced House Bill 1374, which was originally intended The VMI Board of Directors was dissolved From Visitors handed control of the college board to Virginia State University. Following the audit, the draft law was scrapped and replaced with a restructuring of the board of directors, rather than a dissolution.

Last week, the War Department issued a statement criticizing the bill, saying the department would consider “Exceptional measures of protection VMI Safety.”

“The War Department is watching Virginia House Bill 1374, which focuses on the administration of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), with great concern,” War Department spokesman Sean Parnell told X. “For generations, the unique military environment at VMI has made VMI a vital resource for commissioned officers of the armed forces.”

VMI students celebrated changes to legislation that would have deprived the college of funding and threatened the survival of the historic military college. (Courtesy of VMI)

“The stability of this proven command line is a matter of immediate national security interest and any action that could disrupt the ecosystem requires our full attention,” Parnell continued. “DoW reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the safety of VMI and our commitment to the students and midshipmen currently training there remains steadfast.”

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In Washington, congressional lawmakers pointed to Virginia’s newly elected governor Abigail Spanberger As the culprit behind the “radical left” campaign to dismantle VMI.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “The right of Spanberger and the far-left Democrats to want to make VMI the latest target in their anti-American crusade to bring communism to the Commonwealth of Virginia has been exposed.”

Fallon is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, responsible for military oversight and policy related to national defense and military service members.

The Corps of Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) march during the inauguration of Abigail Spanberger, Governor of Virginia, on Capitol Square in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“If they truly have the country’s best interest in mind, Democrats should be on board with President Trump and Republicans’ successful efforts to strengthen our military,” Fallon continued. “Instead, they have shown that they are once again willing to submit to a radical left agenda that seeks to undermine historic institutions like VMI, which produced leaders and statesmen like George C. Marshall, Mike Waltz, and CJCS Gen. Dan Kean. This is welcome news for America as Virginia Democrats have, for now, abandoned their efforts to cut funding for VMI.”

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In 2021, then-Gov. Virginia, a Democrat Ralph Northamauthorized a state-led review of the Virginia Military Institute following complaints of racial and gender bias related to the school’s diversity policies. The investigation was uncovered during the first year of the Biden administration, a time when diversity, equity and inclusion programs were rapidly expanding in higher education and the private sector.

After assuming office, Spanberger made Northam One of her early appointments was to VMI’s Board of Visitors, a move that sparked backlash from GOP lawmakers and critics of the now-amended, Democratic-led legislation.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger appointed former Governor Northam to the VMI Board of Visitors. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The school was founded in 1839, making it the oldest state-funded military college in the country.

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“My two roommates are nothing like me, they come from completely different places, and they worship different gods,” student Devin Ozen told Fox News Digital in January.

“My roommates, including Mike, who… [was my] “My roommates, they are the people I can call my brothers, my family, my friends, and anytime I need them, they will always be here for me,” Ozen added.