The House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs has a specific duty to protect America's national security, meaning that issues facing our nation's military are high priority. Recently, it has been brought to my attention that the military has undergone a staunch ideological shift under the Biden Administration, which could have vast implications on the power of the U.S. military on the world stage. Specifically, implementing a divisive ideological agenda – the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – may compromise the military's primary objective of safeguarding the security of the American people at home and overseas.
As Chairman of this Subcommittee, I called for a hearing this week to examine how progressive ideologies, specifically DEI, may influence recruitment, training, and the overall cohesiveness of our military units. Our goal is to ensure that our military remains a beacon of excellence. If a divisive ideological agenda is seeping into the military, dividing servicemembers, and undermining soldiers' effectiveness, it must be rooted out.
During the hearing, I questioned Matt Lohmeier, who served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Space Force. In 2021, Lohmeier was terminated for pointing out the illegality and divisiveness of DEI. Lohmeier stated, “I watched DEI trainings divide our troops ideologically and, in some cases, sow the seeds of animosity towards the very country they had sworn an oath to defend.”
It is evident the Biden Administration has prioritized pushing a divisive social agenda into the U.S. military at the expense of our combat readiness as well as the strength of the military’s recruitment numbers and training practices. DEI is eroding the power of our military from within, and it must be done away with.
