Tension is brewing at a North Dakota Air Force base as its leadership has stirred controversy by warning service members against attending a downtown rally that featuring a pro-Trump speaker.
The United States Air Force issued the warning to its personnel via text message, advising against participating in a pro-Trump rally to maintain their service status.
Leadership at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota explicitly warned that attending the Dakota Patriot Rally organized by Turning Point USA might jeopardize the careers of those in the military.
The message read (Bolding added for emphasis):
“From MDG chat last night- “Leaders, please exercise caution inf downtown this weekend. I’ve included a text from the 5SFS/CCF. Please pass along to your team and ask them to be careful and reach out for any concerns.
We just got word of an event going at the fairgrounds downtown, called Dakota Patriot Rally. Its guest speaker is from an alt-right organization called Turning Point Action.
Please advise your folks that if they are going to be downtown this weekend, it’s good to be cautious, as the crowds this event may attract could be confrontational to military members.”
The warning continued, (Bolding added for emphasis) “Additionally please remind them that participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the US military. There was a shooting incident yesterday in Minot, unclear if it was related.”
Outrageous story. Air Force base warns members not to attend rally with pro-Trump group speaker https://t.co/UfBge2pA4b
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) November 21, 2023
From BizPac Review:
Minot Air Force Base personnel were warned by leaders to “exercise caution” if they were going to be anywhere near a rally that would feature a speaker from Turning Point Action.
Service members at the Air Force base in North Dakota were reportedly told in a text message to “be careful” and “reach out for any concerns” if they were going to be in the vicinity of the rally last week that would have a guest speaker from the conservative group that supports former President Donald Trump.
“Leaders, please exercise caution if downtown this weekend,” read the message sent to service members at Minot Air Force Base, according to Fox News.
“At issue was a planned Nov. 17 event dubbed the ‘Dakota Patriot Rally’ at the state fairgrounds in Minot, and the text warned personnel ‘to be cautious’ if they were in the area, especially because some rally-goers ‘could be confrontational to military members.’ The text, which was shared with the popular ‘Air Force amen/nco/snco’ Facebook page, also noted that the event would feature a guest speaker from Turning Point Action, which the warning noted is an ‘alt-right’ organization,” Fox News reported.
The message reportedly forewarned service members “that participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military.”
Fox News noted that the Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs office did not respond when asked for a comment on the alleged text message.
More from American Military News:
United States military leadership at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota recently sent service members a text message warning them that their “continued service” could be in jeopardy if they attended a local rally featuring a speaker from an organization that has historically been supportive of former President Donald Trump.
The text message to Minot Air Force Base personnel, which was obtained by Fox News, stated, “Leaders, please exercise caution if downtown this weekend.”
The text message cautioned any base personnel who were thinking of going into town while the event was taking place last Friday to “be careful” and “reach out for any concerns.”
The event mentioned by Air Force leadership was the “Dakota Patriot Rally,” which took place at the state fairgrounds in Minot. Leadership warned Air Force members that some of the people attending the rally “could be confrontational to military members.” The text message also warned military members that the featured guest speaker would be from Turning Point Action, which leadership claimed was an “alt-right organization.”
In the text message sent to the Air Force base’s service members, leadership warned “participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military.”
Turning Point Action expressed outrage in response, speaking through a spokesperson who criticized the base leadership for discouraging service members from engaging with conservative groups in an interview with Fox News. The spokesperson emphasized Turning Point Action’s stance as a mainstream conservative entity, not aligned with the “alt-right,” and highlighted Tyler Bowyer’s credentials, including his role as COO of TPAction and his background as a political organizer.
The spokesperson’s statement called for a congressional investigation into the situation, arguing that such warnings were unwarranted and damaged the relationship between the military and conservative organizations.
“How dare they dissuade servicemen and women from affiliating with conservative groups and leaders,” the spokesperson told Fox News. “This should set off alarm bells throughout North Dakota and DC, that something is terribly wrong at the Minot Air Force base. This also warrants an immediate congressional hearing and investigation, and whoever is responsible should be held accountable. It’s exactly this type of poison that has caused the Air Force to miss its recruiting goal for the first time in decades.”
Following this, Charlie Kirk, the founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, released the following statement:
Leadership at Air Force base in North Dakota warns airmen not to attend rally featuring Turning Point Action’s Tyler Bower or risk ‘jeopardizing’ military career
The DoD has declared WAR on conservatives. Congress should immediately investigate this absurd, unhinged threat.
On the condition of anonymity, I have now heard directly from servicemen at this Air Force base who have confirmed these texts are real.
Their firsthand accounts reveal that while the base is made up mostly of conservatives, all leadership that has been promoted under Joe Biden now skews FAR LEFT.
All white, Christian conservatives are marginalized. DEI and CRT are pumped into everything the commanders at the base do. All promotions and awards are given to those who buy into ideological based trainings.
They also tell me conservatives are leaving the military in droves, recruiting is abysmal and instead of changing directions, the leadership is doubling down.
Joe Biden and the far-left are actively undermining our military readiness and America’s national security.
🚨🚨Leadership at Air Force base in North Dakota warns airmen not to attend rally featuring Turning Point Action’s Tyler Bower or risk ‘jeopardizing’ military career
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 21, 2023
The DoD has declared WAR on conservatives. Congress should immediately investigate this absurd, unhinged threat.… pic.twitter.com/3PHGz4ZHGM
Numerous lawmakers are considering issuing subpoenas to the US Air Force, demanding an explanation.
Rep. Matt Gaetz posted on X, stating, “Whoever thought sending this message out was a good idea is definitely gonna be answering questions under oath in the Armed Services Committee.”
Whoever thought sending this message out was a good idea is definitely gonna be answering questions under oath in the Armed Services Committee. @RepJimBanks @CoryMillsFL @RepMarkAlford https://t.co/lEHKjshVFd
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2023
In response to Gaetz’s statement, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna remarked, “[US Air Force] see you in DC!”
.@usairforce see you in DC! https://t.co/orlTL7yUp4
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) November 21, 2023
Rep. Jim Banks is now demanding answers from the US Air Force.
“The Biden DoD has declared war on its political enemies. I am demanding answers from the Air Force about this partisan weaponization of our military!!” Banks wrote.
“Participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the US military.”
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) November 21, 2023
The Biden DoD has declared war on its political enemies.
I am demanding answers from the Air Force about this partisan weaponization of our military!!…
Rep. Mark Green wrote, “If true, this is a serious violation of DOD policy. When out of uniform and off-base, our servicemembers have the constitutional right to attend political events.”
If true, this is a serious violation of DOD policy. When out of uniform and off-base, our servicemembers have the constitutional right to attend political events.https://t.co/129mJfulXH
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) November 21, 2023
Senator Kevin Cramer released the following statement:
“First of all, if somebody disguised as a ‘leader’ at Minot Air Force Base actually put out this hyper partisan left wing political message, they need to rescind it immediately. They need to apologize for it profusely and then they need to encourage the airmen at Minot Air Force Base who are inclined to attend a conservative, traditional American values rally to do exactly that and bring a friend. Then that leader, the so-called leader needs to be removed from their position.
“Unfortunately, these left wing political messages are way too common in our military these days, and that needs to be stopped. We need to get our military focused on what they’re supposed to be doing, and that is their own mission. They all have a collective mission and individual missions. At Minot, they just happen to carry the heavy burden, responsibility, and great honor of having two of the three legs of the nuclear triad. In other words, they are as responsible, if not more responsible than anybody in the world for deterring our enemies: the enemies of freedom, the enemies of America, and the enemies of America’s allies. We need them to get focused on that and get off of the DEI woke nonsense that’s infiltrated our military, and now infiltrated North Dakota. Let’s get to the mission.”
