Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has called on the Pentagon to stop the “politicization and misuse” of troops just days after Guam’s House delegate led members of the U.S. territory’s National Guard to her office following her mischaracterization of the island.
In a letter to the National Guard and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Republican said Democrats are using troops as “pawns” in a public relations war against Republicans, and the Pentagon is joining in by criticizing conservative media, specifically Fox host Tucker Carlson.
“The men and women of our armed forces took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. They did not sign up to play party politics and act as extras in an ongoing culture war,” she wrote.
Today, I sent the following letter to General Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Secretary of Defense Austin to express my concerns with the politicization of our military. pic.twitter.com/gah7E5hjUQ
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) March 16, 2021
She cited several examples, but the letter came after Guam Del. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas, with members of the Pacific island’s National Guard force in Washington, went to her office. She wasn’t there, and an aide thanked the troops for their service.
“Imagine if I, or any of my Republican colleagues from Georgia, marched with members of the Georgia National Guard over to a Democrat member of Congress’ office to ambush and record their staff,” she said.
The Guam march came after she mistakenly referred to Guam as a foreign land during a session at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference. Subsequent reports said the troops and delegate brought cookies to Greene’s office in appreciation for the new attention to Guam, which is 4,000 miles from Hawaii. San Nicolas said it was an informational visit.
Guam Rep. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas and members of the Guam National Guard visited the office of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she falsely called the U.S. territory a foreign land. pic.twitter.com/81mqDK97St
— The Hill (@thehill) March 15, 2021
Greene noted other cases where she said troops are being politicized, notably guarding the miles of fencing around the Capitol, which some Republicans dub “Fort Pelosi.”
And she nicked the Pentagon spokesman for criticizing Carlson’s critique of maternity flight suits.
In her letter, she called for the fence to be taken down and troops be used to protect the nation from threats such as China.
“Surely the defense of our nation is of such preeminent importance that the men and women tasked with preserving it should be training, preparing, and fully focused to face rapidly evolving external threats — especially China — rather than playing guard at the nation’s capital and roaming the halls of Congressional office buildings to serve the media cravings of aspiring delegates,” she said.
