Crane Bashes DEI in Military as 'Demoralizing and Distracting'

Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the military during a recent interview with Cactus Politics, calling it "demoralizing and distracting."

In addition to DEI being "demoralizing and distracting," Rep. Crane invoked his previous service as a Navy SEAL as a time when "you could not get in if you had flat feet or were colorblind. And so the message was really clear: 'We are not looking for inclusivity here; our focus is not diversity here. Our focus is creating the most lethal fighting force possible, and we do not care what color your skin is. We do not care who you pray to, but if you do not meet our standards, sorry, but no thanks."

Moreover, not only did he suggest the focus on DEI distracted from meritocracy, but "it has demoralized a lot of our young men and women who put on the uniform every day who understand the complexities of the job and the consequences of the job if you are not focused on lethality and the spot that may put them in at some point."

Cactus Politics asked Rep. Crane if he believed the Clinton-era "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy should be revived to some extent. He agreed, even if he could not speak for every military member.

Namely, he emphasized, "I do not really care about what you do in your free time. We just want to know that there is not one standard for you, one standard for me, and that you are getting preferential treatment because you fall under some minority category, whatever it is, and that ultimately, we are focused on standards and being the most professional lethal group on the face of the earth, full stop."

In August, Crane and former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) spearheaded a letter calling for the end of DEI in the Coast Guard, specifically its "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusivity training programs" and "encouraging service member participation in Transgender Shipmates Inclusion Training."