A group of Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the acting secretary of the U.S. Space Force on May 19, urging him to immediately reinstate a lieutenant colonel who was relieved of his command after publishing a book that warned of the spread of Marxism and critical race theory (CRT) in the military.
Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a former instructor and fighter pilot, was relieved as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron “due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead,” a Defense Department official told CNN on May 14.
The decision came after Lohmeier took part in podcasts to discuss his self-published book, titled “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military,” which warns against the spread of Marxism and CRT in the military.
During an appearance on the podcast “Information Operation,” Lohmeier criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s agenda. The department deemed his comments to be “partisan political activity.”
The lawmakers criticized the use of euphemisms such as “diversity training” in describing CRT. Such terms, they said, are “grotesque distortions of reality.”
Like Marxism, CRT advocates for the destruction of institutions, such as the Western justice system, free-market economy, and orthodox religions, while demanding that they be replaced with institutions compliant with the theory’s ideology.
Proponents of CRT have argued that the theory is merely “demonstrating how pervasive systemic racism truly is.”
“Those leaders who are complicit with this poisonous philosophy which promotes racial essentialism and collective guilt in our beloved military will be judged by history accordingly,” the lawmakers wrote. “Promoting critical race theory will disrupt the good order and discipline in the Space Force and eviscerate our nation’s ability to attract patriotic talent to serve in uniform and fight our wars.”
“I can’t imagine a better way to weaken ourselves in the midst of a great-power competition with China and Russia,” he said. “Lt. Col. Lohmeier listened to the Secretary of Defense and stood up against extremism on the left. He should be praised for his courage.”
Space Force officials didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.