The U.S. Space Force general that President Joe Biden picked to serve as the next leader of the U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) played a role in kicking an officer out of the military after he alleged that Marxist and critical race theory ideology had begun to spread through the ranks.
In May 2021, then-U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier was relieved of his post and set to be processed out of the service over an alleged “loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead.” At the time, Mr. Lohmeier had recently published a book titled “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military,” and had made appearances on news programs and podcasts at the time to promote the book.
While appearing on the “Information Operation” podcast with Washington Times Columnist L. Todd Wood, for example, Mr. Lohmeier raised concern about the military’s diversity, equity, and inclusion training program, claiming the instruction troops were receiving has been rooted in “are rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism.”
Instrumental in initiating Mr. Lohmeier’s departure from military service was Space Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting.
“Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, Space Operations Command commander, relieved Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier of command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, May 14, due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead,” a Space Force statement announced in May 2021. “This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast. Lt. Gen. Whiting has initiated a Command Directed Investigation (CDI) on whether these comments constituted prohibited partisan political activity.”
Mr. Lohmeier defended his comments at the time, insisting he did not intend to engage in partisan politics. Several Republican lawmakers criticized the decision to punish the Space Force office and called for the military to reverse course, but to no avail.
As the controversy unfolded, Mr. Lohmeier requested an early retirement from the military and an honorable characterization of his military separation. The military granted Mr. Lohmeier a separation, but declined to grant the early retirement. Mr. Lohmeier left the service on Sept. 1, 2021.
Biden Promoting Space Force General
Earlier this month, President Biden nominated Lt. Gen. Whiting to attain the rank of general and to replace lead U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson as the commanding officer of SPACECOM.
Leading SPACECOM would entail managing and protecting space-based assets like the satellites that provide communication, navigation, and intelligence-gathering capabilities for the rest of the U.S. military.
Like numerous other military promotions in recent months, the move to promote Lt. Gen. Whiting has seen no forward progress through the U.S. Senate amid a hold on the nominations process by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). For months, the Alabama senator has slowed the process for rapidly confirming military nominations over his opposition to a Department of Defense policy that subsidizes travel costs for service members seeking to obtain abortions who are otherwise stationed in areas of the country that restrict abortion procedures.
Mr. Tuberville’s hold on the military-nomination process prevents the Senate from processing large batches of military nominations all at once through the body’s unanimous consent procedures. Military nominations can still proceed under the Senate’s normal procedural rules, which entail Senators considering nominations one by one in a much slower process.
Since the start of the Biden administration, Republican lawmakers have scrutinized the military’s handling of social and political topics and have routinely accused the Biden administration of advancing “woke” policies and leadership within the military.
NTD News reached out to the White House for comment on how Lt. Gen Whiting’s role in Mr. Lohmeier’s exit from the military might impact the Senate’s consideration of the nomination. The White House did not respond by the time this article was published.
NTD News also reached out to Lt. Gen. Whiting’s office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Mr. Lohmeier declined to comment on the matter.