A group of 14 Republican senators has questions for the U.S. Navy after the military branch brought on a drag-performing sailor for its pilot “digital ambassador” program in hopes of boosting recruiting.
This week, the Navy confirmed that it had invited Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, the drag performer who goes by the stage name “Harpy Daniels,” to participate in the service’s “digital ambassador” program. The program ran from October 2022 to March of this year.
The revelation stirred questions from Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Roger Marshall (R-Kans.).
The 14 senators sent a letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro on Wednesday, asking him to provide more details about the “digital ambassador” program.
“Does the Navy endorse drag shows? Where does the Navy draw the line on promotion of the personal activities of its influencers? Would the Navy enlist burlesque or exotic dancers to reach possible recruits?” the senators wrote. “Such activity is not appropriate for promotion in a professional workplace or the United States military.”
The Republican lawmakers specifically asked Del Toro to turn over details about how much Navy funding went toward the “digital ambassador” program. A Navy spokeswoman told NTD that members of the pilot program were not compensated for their participation.
Questions About TikTok
The Republican senators also focused on Kelley’s prominence on the popular social media app TikTok. The app, developed by the Chinese firm ByteDance, has come under increased scrutiny over how it collects and potentially shares user data with the Chinese regime.‘Wokeness’ and a Politicized Military
Some Republican and conservative critics have tied recent recruiting shortfalls to a perceived politicization of the military and an embrace of socially “woke” ideology in particular. Those critics noted (pdf) several programs highlighting and promoting racial and LGBT identity, including officially sanctioned drag performances.While conservative critics linked drag performances to the “woke” ideology they believed hurt military recruiting in 2022, the Navy evidently saw Kelley’s drag performance as a positive asset to the force and a potential source of new recruiting appeal.
Though critics have pointed to drag performances as one example of the “woke” politicization that they believe has undermined the military, proponents have argued that it’s helped a more diverse group of service members feel more comfortable and accepted in the military.
In his interview for the USS Constitution Museum website, Kelley said a sailor who had watched one of his drag performances on board a ship during a Morale, Welfare, and Recreation event had been convinced not to commit suicide.
The 14 Republican senators concluded their letter to the Navy secretary by emphasizing past successful military recruiting campaigns “promoting patriotism, valor, and the myriad of benefits of serving.”