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Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, fired back at GOP lawmakers who questioned the military\u2019s interest in studying critical race theory on Wednesday during a tense exchange at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.<\/p>\n
Milley\u2019s response followed a question from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who asked top military officials to clarify the Defense Department\u2019s approach to critical race theory. Gaetz and Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., expressed concern about discussions regarding critical race theory and “white rage” at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.<\/p>\n
In response, Milley argued it was important for military cadets and officers “to be open-minded and be widely read” about concepts across the ideological spectrum. He also referenced the need to study the root causes of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol amid a broader effort in the Defense Department to address extremism.<\/p>\n
“I’ve read Mao Zedong, I’ve read Karl Marx, I’ve read Lenin. That doesn’t make me a communist,” Milley said. “So what is wrong with understanding, having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend? And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned, non-commissioned officers of being, quote, \u2018woke\u2019 or something else, because we’re studying some theories that are out there.”<\/p>\n
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered a one-day stand down to address extremism last February, roughly one month after the Capitol riot. Gaetz claimed his sources within the military felt the stand-down was counterproductive to efforts to promote unity among military service members.<\/p>\n
Gaetz addressed his question on critical race theory to Austin. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., yielded a portion of her time later in the hearing so that Milley could respond.<\/p>\n
Austin also delivered a forceful response to Gaetz\u2019s concerns.<\/p>\n
“I don\u2019t know what the issue of critical race theory is and what the relevance [is] here with the department. We do not teach critical race theory. We do not embrace critical race theory and I think that\u2019s a spurious conversation. We are focused on extremist behaviors and not ideology, not people\u2019s thoughts, not political orientation. Behaviors is what we\u2019re focused on.”<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Waltz sent a letter to West Point demanding the academy stop teaching critical race theory, which he called “divisive.”<\/p>\n