Military Academy, alleging he was fired after objecting to administrative directives ordering faculty to stop teaching cadets about the human causes of climate change, according to court documents.
The Dispute Over Climate Science Directives
According to the lawsuit, the controversy began in September 2025 during an emergency meeting of the geography and earth sciences faculty. Academy officials instructed instructors that they could no longer teach anthropogenic climate change and ordered them to scrub related references from their coursework. Faculty were reportedly warned that speaking to reporters or politicians could lead to the dissolution of their department, according to reporting by Military Times.
Kalkstein, a climate scientist who taught at the academy for more than 17 years, objected to the directive. In November 2025, he raised concerns during a meeting with then-Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves, who served as the dean of the academic board at the time. Court documents state that Kalkstein told Reeves that omitting human contributions was unethical and dishonest to students.
“We’re only telling cadets part of the story. We’re lying to them, deceiving them.”
The lawsuit alleges that Reeves responded with anger, yelled, suggested Kalkstein resign, and stormed out of the room. Despite the disagreement, Kalkstein continued teaching climatology through the fall and into 2026.
Termination and Legal Claims
In May 2026, department leadership informed Kalkstein that the academy would not renew his appointment beyond December 2026, despite prior verbal and written assurances regarding his employment and external grant funding that could have covered his salary. Although he maintained a record of stellar performance reviews, the complaint states that officials cited poor character and temperament, pointing directly to his November 2025 meeting with Reeves as justification.
Sussman, described his client as a conservative Republican who does not oppose the administration ideologically, but rather objects to restrictions on scientific integrity. Sussman told Army Times that Kalkstein believes cadets must be educated accurately because climate science is a matter of national security.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, an order blocking West Point from enforcing restrictions on academic freedom, Kalkstein’s reinstatement to his tenured position, and monetary damages. Military Academy issued a brief statement noting that officials are aware of the lawsuit and take such matters seriously, declining further comment due to pending litigation.
Broader Context at Federal Service Academies
This legal action represents the second lawsuit filed by a civilian professor at West Point since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. In September 2025, law professor Tim Bakkan filed a lawsuit challenging academy bans on certain books and courses. A federal judge subsequently blocked those restrictions, ruling that West Point could not restrict civilian instructors from expressing classroom opinions on subjects they teach.
The challenges coincide with broader policy shifts across defense and federal agencies under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office, which has overseen the removal of diversity programs, clubs, and library books across military service academies.
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