U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is pushing back against critics who believe increased diversity in the military is a sign of weakness.
“It is not too soft. It will never be too soft. I think our adversaries would like to capitalize on talking points like that or the Chinese, the Russians,” Austin said during an interview with CNN.
He added, “I welcome them to do that because what this department, what Lloyd Austin is focused on is the defense of our nation.”
Watch the video below:
.@barbarastarrcnn speaks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about his experience with American troops.
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) May 31, 2021
“I’m probably at the greatest stage in our history in terms of being able to watch our troops in action and … the sacrifices they make for the country and each other.” pic.twitter.com/Dv6iabaSQZ
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took to Twitter to react to an advertisement released by the military telling the story of U.S. Army Cpl. Emma Malonelord and how she grew up with two mothers, as IJR reported.
“Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea….” Cruz tweeted in response to a video showing the difference between a Russian military advertisement and the one from the United States. He received backlash for his comments.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, tweeted, “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?”
She added, “Perhaps he should be thanking these badass women?”
Amy McGrath, a former U.S. Marine, told Cruz on Twitter, “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.”
Responding to the criticism, Cruz said he is “enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that I’m ‘attacking the military.'”
He continued, “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.”