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Tucker Carlson calls women in military a 'mockery', Pentagon slams Fox host, saying 'diversity is our strength'

Tucker Carlson doubled down on his criticism of President Joe Biden's supposed pursual of 'identity politics' after the Pentagon blasted him for using his show to 'denigrate the contributions of women in the military'

After the Department of Defense put out a press release titled "Press Secretary Smites Fox Host," the Fox News host in question, Tucker Carlson, doubled down on his criticism of President Joe Biden's supposed pursual of "identity politics". 

Carlson took to his show on Thursday night, March 11, to tell his viewers that the "US military is not a vehicle for achieving equity." The exchange of harsh words between the Pentagon and Carlson started when Carlson mocked Biden's speech on International Women's Day where he emphasized the ongoing changes in the US military to accommodate women.

Biden had spoken about body armor designed to fit women properly, combat uniforms tailored for women, maternity flight suits -- all of which were already in development before Biden was nominated to become President. Biden had also spoken about updating requirements for women's hairstyles in the military.

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Carlson first spoke about Biden's speech during his show on International Women's Day, saying women in "maternity flight suits" amounted to the mockery of the US military, while also making transphobic remarks. Carlson said on his show on March 8, Tuesday night, "While China’s military becomes more masculine as it's assembled the world’s largest navy, our military, as Joe Biden says, needs to become more feminine — whatever feminine means anymore since men and women no longer exist. The bottom line is it’s out of control and the Pentagon is going along with it. Again, this is a mockery of the U.S. military and its core mission, which is winning wars.”

In response, the Pentagon and senior military members criticized Carlson for using his show to "denigrate the contributions of women in the military". Pentagon Press Secretary John F Kirby addressed Carlson's remarks the following day and said, "I want to be very clear right up front, that the diversity of our military is one of our greatest strengths. I've seen it for myself in long months at sea and in the combat waged by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I've seen it up on Capitol Hill just this past month. And I see it every day here right at the Pentagon."

Kirby also said, "We pledge to do better, and we will. What we absolutely won't do is take personnel advice from a talk show host or the Chinese military. Maybe those folks feel like they have something to prove -- that's on them. We know we're the greatest military in the world today and even for all the things we need to improve, we know exactly why that's so."

In response to Kirby's remarks, Carlson first tweeted that he would respond during his show on March 11, Thursday night, writing, "This afternoon, the Department of Defense issued a press release attacking this show: 'Press secretary smites Fox Host.' Like we’re a hostile foreign power. Remarkable. We’ll respond at 8pm ET on #FoxNews."

On Thursday night, Carlson doubled down on his criticism of what he referred to as "identity politics." He spoke on pregnant women being pilots in the military, suggesting that the Department of Defense might have researched whether pregnant women make better pilots, saying, "If the Pentagon can show that pregnant pilots are the best, we will be the first to demand an entire air force of them."

Carlson then accused Biden of forgetting that the military was designed to fight wars, and criticized the president for using the armed forces as a sign of his wokeness, saying, "Finding the most effective military pilots or infantry officers or seal teams is not his priority, it's not even close to his priority. Identity politics is Joe Biden's priority, it's all that matters. You see this attitude throughout the US Government as well as in the corporate world. Key positions filled based on the basis of physical appearance, without any reference to ability or experience."

Carlson then went on to say that it was fine if they worked for a bank, saying, "It is not fine if your only job is to protect the United States from people who want to kill the rest of us. That is the worst kind of dereliction of duty. Yet, it's happening right now."

Carlon's nearly ten-minute segment was mocked by viewers as one tweeted, "is this man capable of making sense lmao why does he think he has any sort of authority on the military?? he’s a talk show host." Another wrote, "Wow. The important points went right over his head. Competent, honorable Americans serve in our military forces. Some of them get pregnant and want to continue serving. We owe them the means to do so." One user tweeted, "This guy is the biggest idiot. How anyone listens to what he thinks he knows about the military is beyond me. He does not speak for us...I can tell you that."