Tim Bakken, the longest serving law professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, filed a lawsuit against his school on Monday for allegedly violating his free speech rights with a new policy instituted under President Trump.

The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in New York, pushes back on a rule called the “Academic Engagement Policy” that says academics must get permission before attending events or publishing papers in their official capacity.  

The lawsuit lays out the numerous events, papers and appearances Bakken has made as a professor and the switch that occurred after Trump signed an executive order in January stating officials should “carefully review the leadership, curriculum, and instructors of the United States Service Academies and other defense academic institutions associated with their respective Departments.” 

Bakken’s suit says this has led to books being pulled from military academies and high scrutiny of course materials.  

“This is an action that seeks to defend and protect the fundamental right to freedom of speech, as embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution, and the right to academic freedom, which is essential to a robust marketplace of ideas, an educated citizenry, and the flourishing of our republic,” the lawsuit reads.  

The Hill has reached out to West Point for comment.  

Bakken said in the lawsuit he was recently asked what the title of a paper would be before he could get permission to present it, which never happened to him before at West Point.  

He fears the future repercussions of his work. 

“For example, the book for which Plaintiff is currently under contract to publish is critical of some aspects of West Point and, should Plaintiff be required to seek approval to use his USMA affiliation in his publication, it is very likely such approval will be withheld,” the lawsuit reads.