At a rally in Coachella, California on Saturday night, former President Donald Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of supporting a "woke military." Trump played a video during the rally featuring scenes from Stanley Kubrick's classic film Full Metal Jacket to contrast his vision of a strong, traditional military with the one he claims Harris would lead.
The video, which Trump also posted to his X (formerly Twitter) account, compared two versions of the U.S. military—one led by Trump and another under Harris, whom he mockingly referred to as "Comrade" Kamala. The clip alternated between scenes from Full Metal Jacket, showing the tough, berating Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (played by R. Lee Ermey), and images of alleged servicemembers in drag, along with Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender official in the Biden administration’s Public Health Service.
Trump has used the video at previous rallies, but his decision to showcase it again—alongside his statement, "WE WILL NOT HAVE A WOKE MILITARY!"—signals his ongoing commitment to reshaping the military should he return to office. His message seemed clear: Trump wants to return to what he perceives as an old-school, hyper-masculine military, rejecting diversity initiatives and inclusivity that have been expanded under the Biden administration.
The use of Full Metal Jacket clips—particularly those depicting harsh military training—highlighted Trump's vision of toughness. However, as fans of the film know, the abusive training ultimately leads to tragic outcomes, including a cadet murdering his commanding officer, a nuance that complicates Trump's analogy.
The rally's messaging stands in contrast to the progress made under the Obama administration, when the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed in 2010, allowing LGBTQ+ servicemembers to openly serve. Since then, the military has adopted various diversity initiatives, especially under President Biden.
While it remains uncertain what specific changes Trump might propose for the military if he wins the 2024 election, it’s evident that his vision involves rolling back many of the inclusivity measures that have been implemented in recent years.
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