The II Navy Expeditionary Force issued an apology for engaging in a fight on Twitter with right-wing commentators about the recent comments made by Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson about what he claimed to be the feminization of the U.S. military.
Carlson, whose popularity is due in part to his fiery coverage of identity policy issues, sparked fury among military figures and others last week when he complained that President Joe Biden was presiding over America’s transition to a more “female” army .
“Pregnant women are going to fight our wars,” said Carlson on Tuesday. “As China’s military becomes more masculine as they assemble the world’s largest navy, our military needs to become – as Joe Biden says – more feminine.”
The II MEF Information Center’s Twitter account added its voice to the criticism of the far-right presenter on Friday, posting a photo of a marine carrying a comrade. “What it looks like in today’s armed forces @TuckerCarlson“wrote the account.” Go right before you go left, boomer. “
One user responded by saying, “Please focus on China, not Tucker Carlson,” which spurned a disdainful refutation of the Marines’ account that said, “Come back when you’ve served and you’re pregnant.”
Right-wing figures shared the exchange and criticized the Marines’ reports for embarrassing an American citizen and for engaging in the politicized comings and goings over Carlson’s comments.
Far-right activist and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec – long criticized for spreading far-right propaganda and misinformation – asked on Twitter: “These are the official statements of the @IImigofficial about how marines see US civilians? “
Another far-right commentator, conspiracy theorist and anti-feminist Mike Cernovich said that the Marines’ report declared a “propaganda war against Tucker Carlson”, saying to his followers: “The military is not what you think. It is time to cut the budget in half. “
Right-wing political strategist Bryan Dean Wright, meanwhile, said the Marines’ posts were inappropriate on the part of a non-partisan organization.
“With US Marines tweeting partisan views on government accounts – and keeping their jobs around the clock – we crossed the red line,” Wright wrote. “The Republic will not last long when our armed forces, intelligence and law enforcement become political tools,” he said, adding, “We are in desperate trouble.”
The II MEF account later apologized in a response to a tweet sent by Los Angeles Fox 11 reporter Bill Melugin, who said it was “really crazy to see this tweet from an official US army account”
The II MEF report said: “We are human and we made mistakes. We intended to speak for the Marines and it was an effort to support them. They are a crucial part of our body and we need them to know that. Set fire and ensure maximum professionalism in our tweets. “
Carlson’s comments were strongly condemned by military and on-duty officials. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said he shared the “disgust” expressed after Carlson’s program, adding: “What we will not do at all is to take personal advice from a talk show host or the Chinese military.”
Army Sergeant Major Michael Grinston was among those who went out to defend his comrades. Grinston said Carlson’s comments were “divisive” and did not reflect military values.
“Women lead our most lethal units with character. They will dominate ANY future battleground on which we are called to fight,” wrote Grinston. “We have the most professional, knowledgeable, agile and strong NCO in the world.”
Phillip Faraone / Getty Images for Politicon