A planned “child-friendly” drag queen show on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada was canceled after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) demanded answers from Pentagon leaders regarding the show.
“HUGE VICTORY: The Department of Defense has CANCELED a scheduled ‘child-friendly’ drag show after I demanded answers from @SecDef Austin and General Milley!”
.@BreitbartNews: "A planned 'child-friendly' drag queen show on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada has been canceled after @RepMattGaetz demanded answers from Pentagon leaders as to why it was happening when they claimed they did not support them on bases."https://t.co/n3RmKF311f
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 1, 2023
Breitbart News obtained a screenshot from a post by the Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council Facebook Page relating to the drag queen show’s cancellation.
“The Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council is saddened to inform you that we are no longer able to host our annual Pride Month Drag Show on Nellis AFB. We have received notification that the DoD has directed Commanders not to host Drag events on military installations,” the Air Force base posted on Facebook.
The base then listed other LGBTQ-related events that weren’t drag shows, including a panel, a “Paint with Pride” event, a color run at the base gym, a mixer, and a commemoration walk.
“We will continue to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community during PRIDE month. Come show your PRIDE with us!” it said.
In March 2023, Gaetz questioned Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley about whether they supported drag queen shows on military bases. After claiming they were not aware of such shows, Gaetz presented the defense officials with evidence, handing Milley various articles about drag queen events hosted on military bases.
After being shown evidence, Austin and Milley eventually said they did not support drag queen shows hosted on bases.
“Drag queen story hours is not something that the Department funds,” Austin said in March 2023.
Yet, in June 2023, Gaetz sent a letter to Austin and Milley demanding answers regarding a planned drag show at the Nellis Air Force Base.
According to NBC News, the show was approved by Air Force leaders, but Austin and Milley told the Air Force that it is not the Department of Defense’s (DOD) policy to fund such drag shows on bases, adding that the Nellis show should be canceled or relocated. Milley was reportedly “visibly angry” about the base’s decision to host the event.
“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 told NBC News.
