DeSantis blasts military for going ‘woke’ and embracing ‘DEI’ and ‘political ideologies’
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Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) promised big changes to the military if he becomes president, stating that “woke” policies and political ideologies are driving soldiers away.
The Republican presidential hopeful for 2024 highlighted his military service on Memorial Day on Fox News, boosting his anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda, adding that these concepts have “caused recruiting to plummet” in the military.
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“The military I see is different from the military I served in,” DeSantis said.
The Florida governor served in the Navy in 2004 after enlisting during his second year at Harvard Law School. DeSantis was promoted to lieutenant two years later before serving as a legal adviser to SEAL Team One.
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DeSantis noted that while the nation stands on “great values,” adding the United States has “a great Constitution, a great Declaration of Independence,” those traits “don’t run on autopilot,” pointing to the decline in military recruitment in recent times.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said last month that the Army fell short of its recruiting goals last year by around 15,000 people.
“The No. 1 priority, in my mind, for this year — is fixing our recruiting problem,” Wormuth said at an event held by Project for Media and National Security at George Washington University.
The other branches had to use delayed entry applicants to meet their quota last year, according to ArmyTimes.
DeSantis has been critical of the military’s current state, saying in his first interview after his presidential announcement last week on Fox that “people don’t want to join a ‘woke’ military.”
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DeSantis spoke in Jacksonville, Florida, Monday morning at a veteran memorial to honor those who gave their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
“The sacrifices that people have made throughout history matters. We would not be free people without those sacrifices,” DeSantis said. “And I’m just glad that in the state of Florida, this is something that’s recognized in every corner of our state.”