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'Huge Victory': Pentagon Orders Cancellation of 'Family Friendly' Drag Show at Nevada Air Base

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  June 01, 2023 11:00 AM

Pentagon leaders have given orders to either cancel or move a drag show event at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on June 1.

While the "family friendly" event was approved by Air Force leaders, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Pentagon policy prohibits funding drag shows on bases. 

“Consistent with Secretary Austin’s congressional testimony, the Air Force will not host drag events at its installations or facilities. Commanders have been directed to either cancel or relocate these events to an off-base location,” an Air Force official said about the Nellis event, reports NBC News. 

“Per DoD Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), certain criteria must be met for persons or organizations acting in non-Federal capacity to use DoD facilities and equipment. 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 not a suitable use of DOD resources,” added deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) called the decision a "huge victory" after he addressed the issue in a letter to Austin and Milley last month. 

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Gaetz previously confronted Austin and Milley about drag shows on bases during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on March 29. While Austin claimed they weren't happening, Milley said he was "unaware" they were taking place but committed to ending them on military installations.