Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida on Wednesday challenged a U.S. Air Force leader over a claim that the military is not political, citing a controversy at a North Dakota base that threatened troops who support former President Donald Trump.
Gaetz grilled Alex Wagner, assistant secretary of the Air Force, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing dedicated in part to understanding public perceptions of the military as rooted in the media, especially on social media, and how that affects public trust.
The Fort Walton Beach Republican asked Wagner about remarks he made in an interview in September with an Air Force magazine. Wagner reportedly told the publication that he did not think the military, under President Joe Biden, was “political.”
Related: Rep. Gaetz Of Florida Demands Answers From Air Force Secretary For Political Bias In North Dakota
Wagner suggested that partisan politics “never” influences the Air Force. Gaetz immediately cut him off and reminded him of a controversy at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota last month.
There, a message was sent to troops to avoid attending a rally hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA. In a text message to base personnel, troops were warned that “participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military.”
“That seems like a blatant political threat,” Gaetz said.
Wagner responded that the message was issued via text by an airman who shared “incorrect information” over unofficial channels. Commanders corrected the text within an hour, saying it was wrong about political participation, he added.
Gaetz agreed that the clarification of the errant text was a “success story.”
But, he added, the military is undergoing a “cultural shift,” whereby “someone (could) think they could send a threat like this out.”
Related: North Dakota Air Force Base Walks Back Anti-Trump Message After Florida Lawmakers Complain
“When you say it’s ‘never’ political, that seems to run afoul of this,” Gaetz argued.
Gaetz then brought up the case of Air Force veteran Oscar Rodriguez, who in 2016 was forcibly removed from a military friend’s retirement ceremony after mentioning God and faith in his comments.
“I know we gotta play Whac-a-mole,” he said, ‘but when people feel as though attending a Tuning Point event or referencing God, there’s some punishment on them, that might impact some of the recruiting.”
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help. Visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps.