Republican nominee Hung Cao sparked controversy on Wednesday by suggesting that drag queens and their supporters lack the toughness required for military service. When asked about the military’s troubling recruitment numbers, Cao attributed the issue to the Navy’s use of drag queens in its outreach efforts.
“When you’re using a drag queen…to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we need.What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds. Those are the young men and women that are going to win wars,” Cao said.
Cao made the remarks in the only debate of the campaign for US Senate seat from Virginia against Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.
Cao’s controversial statement was aimed at Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who performs as the non-binary drag queen Harpy Daniels. Kelley gained national attention in November 2022 after being named the Navy’s first digital ambassador, part of an initiative during the Biden administration to engage with diverse communities through innovative outreach strategies. However, the program faced significant backlash from conservative factions and was ultimately discontinued in April 2023.
Cao’s also criticised other military policies, including mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for service members and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Kaine labeled Cao’s argument as a distraction from the real issues at hand. “I didn’t understand my opponent’s argument,” Kaine said, suggesting that Cao’s focus on drag queens was a “red herring.” Kaine highlighted the importance of the military reaching out to new constituencies and adapting to a changing society as a solution to the recruitment crisis.
Kaine, who has served in the Senate since 2013 and was Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential pick in 2016, argued that successful recruitment hinges on the military’s ability to connect with a broader range of potential candidates.