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Robert O'Neill: SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden outraged over Navy's use of drag queen as 'digital ambassador'

Drag queen Harpy Daniels' role involves advocating for the rights of those who had faced discrimination and oppression within the service

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Robert J O'Neill, a Navy SEAL who played a crucial role in the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden, expressed his outrage over the US Navy's use of a drag queen for a recruitment program that was eventually scrapped. O'Neill, a decorated combat veteran with eight years of service in SEAL Team Six, took to Twitter to express his disbelief and disappointment, stating that he could not fathom having fought for such "bulls**t."

"The U.S. Navy is now using an enlisted sailor Drag Queen as a recruiter. I’m done. China is going to destroy us. YOU GOT THIS NAVY. I can’t believe I fought for this bulls**t," he said on Twitter. O'Neill was specifically referring to Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, also known by her stage name Harpy Daniels, who announced in November 2020 that she had been selected as the Navy's first "digital ambassador," per Daily Mail. Her role involved sharing her personal story of performing on board Navy ships since 2018, as well as advocating for the rights of those who had faced discrimination and oppression within the service.

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Who is Robert J O'Neill?

Robert J O'Neill is a former United States Navy SEAL who served from 1996 to 2012. He was born on April 10, 1976, in Butte, Montana. O'Neill is known for his controversial claim of being the sole individual to have killed Osama bin Laden during the 2011 mission, Operation Neptune Spear, with SEAL Team Six, per Wikipedia.

Aside from his military career, O'Neill is also a TV news contributor and author. He has shared his insights and experiences as a Navy SEAL on various news programs and talk shows. In addition, he has authored two books, 'The Operator: Firing the Shots That Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior' and 'The Way of the SEAL: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed'.

O'Neill graduated from Butte Central High School in 1994. He briefly attended Montana Technological University. O'Neill married in March 2004 and has at least two children, but by February 2013, he and his spouse were legally separated.

'I am ashamed on behalf of the US Navy'

After O'Neill expressed his disapproval on Twitter, many others joined in to voice their own outrage over the Navy's recruitment program involving a drag queen ambassador. The tweet gained significant attention, quickly garnering over 1.6 million views and thousands of likes and retweets. Former military officer Dr Rich Palazzolo said, "This is beyond disturbing. I’m a former military officer and I just can’t believe what our brass is doing," while Navy vet Celtic Fiddler said, "As a Navy veteran, I am ashamed on behalf of the US Navy. I hope that goes over as well as Bud Light did." A third agreed to O'Neill, saying, "I’m with you, my service has been wasted!!"

'My dad just rolled over in his grave'

One user commented, "My late father was a Navy (Sea Bee) WWII veteran, and he would be appalled at this," while another shared the same sentiment, adding, "An insult to every veteran and their families. My dad just rolled over in his grave at Arlington. I'm so glad he didn't have to see this happen." A third added, "It’s an insult to every veteran. The army kept making me go to trans EO type classes before I retired. Nope. Didn’t go."

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