General Mark Milley Fires Back at Rep Matt Gaetz’s Criticism of ‘Woke’ Military

General Mark Milley fired back at Rep. Matt Gaetz on Wednesday for his criticism that the U.S. military is too “woke” for discussing critical race theory.

The scene went down during a House Armed Services hearing on Wednesday, where Milley argued for the need to study America’s racial history in order to understand the US Capitol attack on Jan. 6. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also said he found Gaetz’s attack on the military offensive.

“I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military … of being ‘woke’ or something else because we’re studying some theories that are out there,” Milley said in the hearing.

“I want to understand white rage — and I’m white,” Milley continued. “What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America?

“I’ve read Mao Tse Tung. I’ve read Karl Marx. I’ve read Lenin. That doesn’t make me a communist. So what is wrong with understanding, having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend?”

Milley has pushed back against GOP lawmakers who said the Pentagon’s aim to combat racism and embrace diversity have made them too “woke.” The general urged that service members should be more open-minded.

Reactions came pouring in on Twitter after the general’s response.

Hey, @mattgaetz, see those stripes on Gen Milley’s right sleeve? Each one represents 6 months in combat. SecDef Austin has more, but they aren’t on his suit. You really want to do this? https://t.co/vwiSfm1aNc

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) June 23, 2021

You must watch this! Gen. Milley was absolutely brilliant!

It is funny how the GOP is using woke maybe they should wake the hell up! Open your minds to the perspectives & experiences of others.

Intellectual curiosity is a requirement for any enlightened society! #BlindersOff https://t.co/i3JuSKwPY2

— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) June 23, 2021

Wow @MichaelEDyson “critical race theory will kill your mother.” He was on fire 🔥 just now. He was not having these bloviated white men see @mattgaetz today. @DeadlineWH @NicolleDWallace @Timodc just sat back and nodded Amen. Bravo 👏

— 𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚄𝚙𝙱𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚙‼️ (@Veronicaromm) June 23, 2021

Generals need to listen to our war hero. God bless Corporal Matt Gaetz’s service at the Battle of Wet Wipe Hill! pic.twitter.com/fRLgtWF7v1

— Count Dante (@countdante67) June 23, 2021

Their goal is to make any issues regarding social justice or civil rights to just be an element of this new bogeyman they’ve given this three letter acronym. It’s a complete farce. There is literally no there there.

I can’t wait til Gaetz is being passed around in prison.

— Joseph is gay af 🏳️‍🌈 (@josephjaramillo) June 23, 2021

We'll not talk about who decides to go to war, what the goals and objectives of that war are, and how other items of purely partisan political interest affect the outcome of the conflict. This is mostly because it appears @mattgaetz thinks like a hungry child.

— Rich Thompson (@RichThompsonAK) June 23, 2021

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