Ted Cruz gets roundly mocked after accusing the Pentagon of bullying Tucker Carlson

Texas senator Ted Cruz has been ridiculed online after he claimed the US military was “[mobilising] systematic, public attacks” against Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson.

During his show last week, Carlson criticised “new hairstyles and maternity flight suits”, after President Joe Biden said the US was “making good progress” when it comes to “designing body armour that fits women properly”. 

Carlson said: “Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the US military. 

“Whereas Chinese military becomes more masculine, as it’s assembled the world’s largest Navy, our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine – whatever feminine means anymore, since men and women no longer exist.

“The bottom line is it’s out of control, and the Pentagon’s going along with this.”

The comments were quickly rubbished by military officials, who described the Fox News host’s remarks as “divisive” and “drama TV”.

In a video posted to Twitter, Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott H. Stalker said: “Those decisions were made by medical professionals, by commanders, and our civilian leadership.

“It allows for women to have more time with their children, to recuperate, to get fit and ready, to take that time that is necessary that our medical professionals know is needed, which actually makes us a more lethal and ready and fit force.

“The bottom line is that we value women in our armed forces. We value those that have served in the past, and we value those that have served today,” he said.

However, Cruz has claimed that they are “political attacks” from the military, designed to “intimidate Tucker Carlson and other civilians who criticise their policy decisions”.

Cruz’s letter to the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, shared by the senator on Twitter on Sunday, reads: “I am deeply troubled that the commitments you made, and the military’s broader obligation to avoid political endorsements and controversy, are being systematically undermined for the sake of left-wing ideology and political expediency.

“The last week has witnessed the Pentagon mobilize systematic, public attacks against television host Tucker Carlson that in substance, tone, and political resonance are inexplicably inappropriate.”

People soon mocked the “hilarious” letter from Cruz online, with several responses referencing the recent controversy over his trip to Cancun and remarks President Trump made about his wife:

Carlson later doubled down on his remarks following the backlash, going on to describe officers as “woke generals”.

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