U.S. officials are facing questions after three Army reservists were killed by a drone strike in Jordan.
Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo suggested that diversity initiatives may have played a role in the attack.
Republicans have criticized the military’s focus on diversity and inclusion, using terms like “wokeness” and “DEI” as criticisms.
“Maybe [the military is] focused too much on DEI,” Bartiromo said.
“There’s a concern at the FBI because they’re dropping the FBI special agent requirements in the name of DEI. I’m just wondering if that has anything to do with missing an important drone that just killed three of our heroes.”
This is part of a broader conservative trend to attack diversity efforts in various industries, including the aviation sector.
“If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified,’” Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said.
These critiques have been ongoing, with figures like Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump expressing concerns about the military’s readiness and capabilities.
There have been instances of Republican obstruction of military functioning, such as delays in approving military appointments and criticisms of initiatives aimed at addressing racism within the armed forces.
However, military officials like Gen. Mark Milley have refuted claims that the military is too “woke,” asserting that it remains strong and ready.
“This military is a lot of things, but woke, it’s not. So I take exception to that. I think that people say those things for reasons that are their own reasons, but it’s not true. It’s not accurate,” Milley said.
“What I see is a military that’s exceptionally strong. It’s powerful; it’s ready. In fact, our readiness rates, the way we measure readiness, is better now than they’ve been in years.”
