Conservatives Go To War Against Trump Military Nominee Accused Of Promoting DEI

One of President Donald Trump’s military nominees has drawn conservative backlash amid accusations that he promoted several “woke” initiatives.

Trump has recommended on Sept. 5 that the commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga, be elevated to serve as the next leader of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).

But conservatives have raised red flags about Braga for years over concerns he was elevating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and LGBT initiatives in the military. The criticism has escalated since Trump named Braga to lead JSOC. (RELATED: US Navy Used Drag Queen Influencer To Attract A ‘Wide Range’ Of New Troops As Recruitment Plummets)

William Thibeau, the director of the American Military Project at The Claremont Institute, tweeted in response to the nomination that he had received an outpouring of messages from active duty service members who are in “utter dismay.”

“Braga published the ‘Women in ARSOF’ report where he surveyed SOF operators only to cast them as bigots and sexists,” Thibeau writes in his post, adding that the report has since been scrubbed from the USASOC’s site.

Over a dozen active duty servicemembers have reached out in utter dismay over this nomination.

Braga published the “Women in ARSOF” report where he surveyed SOF operators only to cast them as bigots and sexists. @USASOCNews has since removed the report from their website. pic.twitter.com/a2Kv8SVuyy

— William Thibeau (@WilliamThibeau) September 6, 2025

The report, which was obtained by the Caller, aims to examine women in the military, “break down barriers” in the USASOC and be more “inclusive” through self-examination.

Braga writes that he was “disappointed” by some of the comments received as part of the study. The report lists some responses it got from service members about the integration of women in USASOC, writing that an “overtly sexist sentiment emerged” as they asked soldiers for their feedback.

“The idea that women are EQUALLY as physically, mentally and emotionally capable as men to effectively perform the majority of jobs within ARSOF is, quite frankly, ridiculous,” one cited comment reads.

“Females have no place on a Team. It’s an unnecessary wrench in a perfectly functional system in the name of ‘political correctness.’ This trend is another factor that has systematically blunted the tip of the spear,” another comment reads.

The USASOC did not respond to the Caller’s request for comment on the study and did not answer questions on who ordered the report.

“It seems unlikely that any superior officer or political official ordered him to cast wide swaths of operators, Rangers, and Green Berets as bigots and sexists in the ‘Women in ARSOF’ report from 2023,” Thibeau told the Caller in a statement. “That is just one example. TLTG Braga’s decades of exemplary service deserve recognition and thanks, but President Trump and Secretary Hegseth cannot have the confidence that he will faithfully discharge their orders to undo DEI in the military when he was such a vigorous proponent of those policies in the first place.”

The popular X account Libs of Tik Tok posted in February about Braga and warned that he shouldn’t be “anywhere near the Trump administration.” The account cited a June 2023 Breitbart article reporting that the USASOC, which was overseen by Braga at the time, posted the intersex-inclusive Pride Progress flag across all its social media channels.

“USASOC recognizes June as Pride month, celebrating all LGBTQ+ members in our formations. Throughout American history, LGBTQ+ members have not only fought for the right to serve openly, but have also fought in every major war and conflict. Despite the challenges LGBTQ Army Soldiers and Civilians faced, their commitment to service has made our military stronger and the Nation safer,” the social media post read, according to Breitbart.

Hearing from reliable sources that John Braga is about to be promoted.

Braga is a woke political activist who promotes LGBTQ pride and signed a memo demanding the Army follow DEI initiatives.

Not only shouldn’t he get a promotion, but he shouldn’t be anywhere near the Trump… https://t.co/mWYEpz8iiL

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 29, 2025

Meet John Braga, US Army Special Operations Command. He loves posting pictures of progress pride flags from government accounts and signed a memo demanding DEI be followed within the Army.

He doesn’t belong anywhere near the Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/1zLkmi52FL

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 11, 2025

A USASOC spokesman told the outlet that the post was reflective of a Department of Defense memo that recognized June as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month,” but did not answer questions about whether Braga was involved.

The post received nearly half a million views and also included a 2024 memo signed by Braga that implemented DEI into USASOC.

The memo, obtained by the Daily Caller, states that it is “USASOC’s goal” is “to foster a climate that allows our diverse workforce to perform at optimal levels in support of our mission.” 

“Management will work towards identifying and eliminating inequities if they exist in the workplace and take prompt and appropriate action to resolve discriminatory issues, should they arise. Each of us is responsible for supporting and ensuring our EEO program’s success,” the memo reads. The memo adds that diversity is a mandatory performance “element/standard.”

Braga also signed off on a November 2021 EEO and Harassment memo.

While mostly addressing bullying and hazing, the memo also states that “commanders will hold all leaders accountable for fostering a climate of diversity and inclusion within the organizations that is free from harassment and does not tolerate retaliation.”

The memos are in line with the priorities of former President Joe Biden and then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Biden signed an executive order in June 2021 promoting DEI within the federal government, but it is unclear whether it mandated the creation of the memo signed by Braga.

USASOC did not respond to the Caller’s questions about whether the memo was ordered by one of Braga’s superiors.

The Department of War referred the Caller to the White House for comment.