A drag show scheduled for Thursday at Nevada‘s Nellis Air Force base was stopped by officials the day before.
Nellis was slated to host the show on the first day of Pride month until Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, intervened, according to a report from NBC News. The leaders doubled down on the Pentagon policy against funding drag shows and insisted it be canceled or moved off base, per an Air Force official cited by the outlet.
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The base last hosted a Pride Month drag show in June 2021, named “Drag-u-Nellis.” At the time, a spokesperson claimed that the event was sponsored by a private organization.
HUGE VICTORY: The Department of Defense has CANCELED a scheduled “child-friendly” drag show after I demanded answers from @SecDef Austin and General Milley!
Drag shows should not be taking place on military installations with taxpayer dollars PERIOD!
READ:… https://t.co/YDByQihQod pic.twitter.com/vnJiuFlh2z
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) May 31, 2023
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) celebrated the cancellation on Twitter, calling it a “huge victory.”
“Drag shows should not be taking place on military installations with taxpayer dollars PERIOD!” Gaetz wrote.
This comes after Gaetz questioned Austin and Milley about drag queen story hours during the House Armed Service Committee hearing Monday.
“Drag queen story hours is not something that the department funds,” Austin said during the hearing. When Gaetz produced fliers that suggested otherwise, Milley admitted he “did not agree with those” and would be taking a closer look at the fliers.
“Per DoD Joint Ethics Regulation, certain criteria must be met for persons or organizations acting in non-federal capacity to use DoD facilities and equipment,” Department of Defense deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told the Washington Examiner. “As Secretary Austin has said, the DoD will not host drag events at U.S. military installations or facilities. Hosting these types of events in federally funded facilities is inconsistent with regulations regarding the use of DoD resources.”
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“We are proud to serve alongside any and every young American who takes the oath that puts their life on the line in defense of our country,” Singh added. “Service members and their families are often involved in a host of special interest activities related to their personal hobbies, beliefs, and backgrounds.”
A month ago, the Navy invited a drag queen and active-duty sailor to join its pilot “digital ambassador” program.
