The Biden administration faced intense backlash late this week after military officials used official government resources to launch political attacks against Fox News host Tucker Carlson in response to Carlson calling out highly controversial moves that the Biden administration is making in the military.
Attacks made by U.S. Military, under Biden’s leadership, against a U.S. citizen include:
- The Department of Defense posting on its .gov website: “Press Secretary Smites Fox Host That Dissed Diversity in US Military.”
- U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott H. Stalker attacking Carlson on the U.S. Space Command’s official government Twitter account, stating that Carlson’s criticisms were not valid because they were “made by an individual who has never served a day in his life.”
- The U.S. Marines’ II MEF Information Group writing on its official government account: “Get right before you get left, boomer.”
There was intense backlash online against the Biden administration after the U.S. Military used its resources to attack a private citizen who called into question the military’s readiness and combat effectiveness.
Human Events Managing Editor Ian Miles Cheong wrote: “China’s military is laughing at the US Marines for getting triggered by a TV host and ignoring their military buildup in the Pacific.”
China’s military is laughing at the US Marines for getting triggered by a TV host and ignoring their military buildup in the Pacific.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 13, 2021
Bryan Dean Wright, a Democrat and former CIA officer, wrote: “With US Marines tweeting partisan views on Govt accounts — and keeping their jobs all the while — we’ve crossed a red line. The Republic will not stand long when our military, intelligence, & law enforcement become political tools. We are in desperate trouble.”
With US Marines tweeting partisan views on Govt accounts — and keeping their jobs all the while — we’ve crossed a red line.
The Republic will not stand long when our military, intelligence, & law enforcement become political tools.
We are in desperate trouble.
— BDW (@BryanDeanWright) March 14, 2021
Fox News L.A. reporter Bill Melugin wrote: “Pretty wild to see this tweet from an official US military account…”
Pretty wild to see this tweet from an official US military account… https://t.co/gFTk7qFN6S
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 13, 2021
Political strategist Arthur Schwartz wrote: “This is an official DoD Twitter account getting mouthy with a member of the public who told them to focus on China instead of Tucker Carlson. Whoever is manning this Twitter account should be fired. Immediately.”
This is an official DoD Twitter account getting mouthy with a member of the public who told them to focus on China instead of Tucker Carlson. Whoever is manning this Twitter account should be fired. Immediately. https://t.co/7UskvoqP7H
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) March 13, 2021
Retired Marine veteran Joey Jones wrote: “Please focus on China and not Tucker.”
Please focus on China and not Tucker https://t.co/RB6lkEXCoz
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) March 13, 2021
“Seriously, the DoD stratcomm people need to take a strategic pause and shut the f**k up,” Daily Caller Editor in Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll wrote. “The right move here was for Kirby to say ‘DoD won’t respond to the musings of a cable news host other than to say our women serve with distinction’ and leave it at that. Instead we’ve got a half dozen wannabe milfluencers racing to outrage dunk on cable tv hosts and LOOK normal people too! It’s an utter embarrassment to the poise and bearing and professionalism of the Corps.”
A half dozen wannabe milfluencers racing to outrage dunk on cable tv hosts and LOOK normal people too!
It’s an utter embarrassment to the poise and bearing and professionalism of the Corps. https://t.co/qKC9Vm0ICB
— Geoffrey Ingersoll (@GPIngersoll) March 13, 2021
Political commentator Drew Holden wrote: “The US military going out of their way to attack a journalist is like 7000% more fascist than anything Donald Trump ever dreamed of.”
The US military going out of their way to attack a journalist is like 7000% more fascist than anything Donald Trump every dreamed of. https://t.co/d4InNNAy2C
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) March 13, 2021
Political commentator Stephen Miller wrote: “If a member of the United States military high command under Trump released a video in uniform in his government office going after Jim Acosta or Don Lemon or Morning Joe, they would have to clear graphite off the roof of CNN. Here journalists are silent.”
If a member of the United States military high command under Trump released a video in uniform in his government office going after Jim Acosta or Don Lemon or Morning Joe, they would have to clear graphite off the roof of CNN.
Here journalists are silent. https://t.co/IfdytuxayZ
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 13, 2021
New York Post reporter Emma-Jo Morris wrote: “Remember when there was a media wide mass panic because someone in uniform walked with the president to make a statement at a church that was burned by rioters and that was alleged to be ‘political’?”
Remember when there was a media wide mass panic because someone in uniform walked with the president to make a statement at a church that was burned by rioters and that was alleged to be “political”? https://t.co/Vpk3eY82uO
— Emma-Jo Morris (@EmmaJoNYC) March 13, 2021
Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell wrote: “If this had happened under Trump there would have already been a congressional hearing.”
Michele Perez Exner, who works for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, wrote: “As a female Marine that served in II MEF, this attack on a reporter’s free speech from an official account is completely unacceptable.”
As a female Marine that served in II MEF, this attack on a reporter’s free speech from an official account is completely unacceptable. https://t.co/HzZsexZD2I
— Michele Perez Exner (@michelepexner) March 13, 2021