Tucker Carlson sure is going to town lately in post-Trump America to keep himself entertained. The Fox News host is making things up about low sperm count and weed along with claiming that Democrats created QAnon, but now, he may have messed with the wrong crowd: the military. Why would Tucker do such a thing — ridiculing women who are brave enough serve on active duty while pregnant — since service members and veterans often skew conservative? There’s no telling what his logic is, but prominent members of the military community of all political persuasions are not pleased.
“Tucker Carlson doesn’t think women can serve in the military,” Vote Vets (which is a Democratic organization) tweeted. “Pretty bold words from a frozen food heir who couldn’t be bothered to serve himself.”
Tucker Carlson doesn’t think women can serve in the military. Pretty bold words from a frozen food heir who couldn’t be bothered to serve himself.
— VoteVets (@votevets) March 11, 2021
Tucker seemed pretty peeved after Joe Biden announced that the military had created maternity flight suits. “So we’ve got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits,” Carlson declared on air. “Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the US military.” He then went on a tirade about Biden, who Carlson believes isn’t viewing China as a threat: “While China’s military becomes more masculine, as it assembles the world’s largest navy, our military needs [to] as Joe Biden says become more feminine.”
CNN reports that several military officials and the Pentagon (including spokesperson John Kirby and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin) feel “revulsion” by Tucker’s attack on female service members. Kirby added that the military is working to become “more inclusive, more respectful of everyone — especially women.” In doing so, “What we absolutely won’t do is take personnel advice from a talk show host, or the Chinese military. Maybe those folks feel like they have something to prove. That’s on them.”
Very quickly, officials rallied against Tucker’s words. General Paul Funk, Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Scott H. Stalker, and Major General Patrick Donahoe pushed back hard against Tucker, and Fort Hood Deputy Commanding General John B. Richardson IV tweeted, “Mothers in uniform fight & win our nation’s wars. Fathers in uniform fight & win our nation’s wars. Soldier is not a gendered noun.”
Mothers in uniform fight & win our nation’s wars. Fathers in uniform fight & win our nation’s wars. Soldier is not a gendered noun.
America’s army is made up of countless mothers and fathers. Being a parent (& being pregnant) does NOT negatively impact on our nation’s defense.
— John B. Richardson IV (@_JBR_IV_) March 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/US_SpaceComCSEL/status/1370041512894025729
I agree Pat . Thousands of women serve honorably every day around the globe. They are beacons of freedom and they prove Carlson wrong through determination and dedication. We are fortunate they serve with us. https://t.co/R4dycOXknl
— GEN Paul E. Funk II (@PaulFunk2) March 11, 2021
This is me, yesterday, conducting a re-enlistment for one of the tens of thousands of women who serve in our Army. Just a reminder that @TuckerCarlson couldnt be more wrong. https://t.co/M1MHe5zHrf
— Patrick Donahoe (@PatDonahoeArmy) March 11, 2021
They weren’t alone. Soon enough, veterans, service members, and civilians alike called out Carlson for not recognizing the sacrifices and badassery coming from female service members. To that point, Joe Walsh tweeted, “Every woman in the military I’ve ever met could absolutely kick Tucker Carlson’s ass.”
Every woman in the military I’ve ever met could absolutely kick Tucker Carlson’s ass.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) March 11, 2021
Senator Tammy Duckworth (a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel) joined in with some justifiable profanity.
F*ck Tucker Carlson. While he was practicing his two-step, America’s female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America’s women.
Happy belated International Women’s Day to everyone but Tucker, who even I can dance better than. pic.twitter.com/E4wchht9lA
— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) March 11, 2021
Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin shared a photo of his daughter while tweeting that women “are NOT ‘making a mockery of our military’… You WISH your daughter was as AWESOME as MINE! so BACK OFF.” And the deluge continued.
Contrary to what you may be hearing this 🇺🇸WOMAN & 1000's of 🇺🇸WOMEN like her are NOT "making a mockery of our military". You WISH your daughter was as AWESOME as MINE! so BACK OFF. #ARMY #Navy #USMC #USAF @16thSMA pic.twitter.com/h98tpKXPJn
— Ted Martin (@TedMartin1775) March 10, 2021
Tucker Carlson dishonors the service & sacrifice of all women who have served in the Armed Forces. Many who paid the ultimate sacrifice. He’s never served anyone but himself, but would deny soldiers the means & equipment to be effective. #HereRightMatters
— Alexander S. Vindman ❎ (@AVindman) March 11, 2021
I’d pay to see Tucker Carlson try to fight any female military member.
— Kate 🪬🤍🇺🇸 (@ImSpeaking13) March 11, 2021
Retweet if you think this country needs a vaccine for Tucker Carlson.
— Kim Mangone (@KimMangone) March 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/joshscampbell/status/1369868811155873793
https://twitter.com/jkass99/status/1369825478454865922
To be clear, Tucker Carlson is a silver spooned creep who is paid to be a neo-Nazi sexist propagandist on a network that radicalizes terrorists and the criminally insane. He isn’t even fit to be on the same planet as women who serve in the military. His existence is meaningless.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) March 11, 2021
Will Tucker Carlson issue an apology? People are waiting to find out.