Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) recent claim about the military is not sitting well with several former service members and veteran groups.
Cruz took to Twitter to share a video comparing an apparent advertisement for the Russian military to the United States military. The advertisement for the Russian military shows men doing push-ups and jumping out of a plane.
The video then transitions to an animation of U.S. Army Cpl. Emma Malonelord’s story.
Explaining she was raised in California with two mothers, Malonelord continued, “I also marched for equality. I’d like to think I’ve been defending freedom from an early age.”
She continued, “With such powerful role models, I finished high school at the top of my class and after meeting with an army recruiter, I found it, a way to prove my inner strength.”
Cruz responded, “Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea….”
Holy crap.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 20, 2021
Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea…. https://t.co/8aVFMW98NM
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, fired back at Cruz.
“Holy crap. Perhaps a U.S. Senator shouldn’t suggest that the Russian military is better than the American military that protected him from an insurrection he helped foment?” Duckworth tweeted.
She added, “Perhaps he should be thanking these badass women?”
Perhaps he should be thanking these badass women?
— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) May 20, 2021
(📸: Bloomberg @business) pic.twitter.com/Y57SeoaYL4
Former Missouri Senate candidate and Army National Guard veteran Jason Kander is “laughing” about Cruz’s argument.
“I’m still laughing about Ted Cruz calling the US Military emasculated. Actually, Ted Cruz unironically using the word ’emasculated’ at all is hilarious,” he tweeted.
Kander continued, “This hang nail of a human kissed the ass of a bully who called his wife ugly and accused his dad of murder! What a putz!”
I’m still laughing about Ted Cruz calling the US Military emasculated.
— Jason Kander (@JasonKander) May 21, 2021
Actually, Ted Cruz unironically using the word “emasculated” at all is hilarious.
This hang nail of a human kissed the ass of a bully who called his wife ugly and accused his dad of murder!
What a putz!
Amy McGrath, a former U.S. Marine, also offered her thoughts.
“Dear [Ted Cruz] – you have no idea what being a warrior is all about. Signed, all women who have worn the uniform to protect your right to be an ass,” she tweeted.
Dear @tedcruz – you have no idea what being a warrior is all about.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) May 20, 2021
Signed, all women who have worn the uniform to protect your right to be an ass. https://t.co/D3QsEyeRdq
VoteVets, a group that advocates for veterans running for office, accused Cruz of being a “sedition-loving traitor.”
Ted Cruz attacks a US Army soldier for telling her story, says he prefers Russians. Because Ted Cruz is a sedition-loving traitor. https://t.co/UOveTXSxzk
— VoteVets (@votevets) May 20, 2021
Cruz fired back at his critics, saying he is “enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that I’m ‘attacking the military.'”
I’m enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that I’m “attacking the military.”
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 21, 2021
Uh, no. We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies.
The new Dem videos are terrible. https://t.co/19pYGa8cYk
He also argued, “We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians and woke media are trying to turn them into pansies. The new Dem videos are terrible.”
Cruz spokesperson Erin Perrine said in a statement, “Sen. Cruz passionately supports the brave men and women of the United States military and has repeatedly expressed concerns that Democrat politicians, left wing bureaucrats, and the media are politicizing our armed forces to promote a fringe woke agenda based on identity politics.”
She added, “Our military should be focused on winning wars, and we endanger our national security and our servicemembers when they focus on anything else.”