WASHINGTON (AP) - Military leaders are rattled by a list of "woke" senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon.
The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon's often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump.
"The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military," Jones said of Hegseth.
Hegseth has embraced Trump's effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump.
But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column.
Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon's DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country.
"You will drive people out," Hagel said. "It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything - it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization."
The list includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks, and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines.
The phrase "diversity is our strength" is widely distributed talking point used across the Pentagon for years.
An Air Force colonel was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following George Floyd's death, urging white colleagues to address their blind spots about race.
"No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump," said Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for Trump's transition team.
"Purging woke from military is imperative," says letter Jones sent Hegseth containing list dated Tuesday pointing tensions with Iran Russia China adding can't afford distracted demoralized by leftist ideology nation's security stake.".