Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base on Thursday canceled an all-ages drag show that it was planning for the start of Pride Month.
The Pentagon ordered the shutdown and said such events were “not a suitable use of federal funds and resources.”
The Department of Defense told commanders to cancel the event, which was billed as “family-friendly,” or move it off base grounds.
“The DOD will not host drag events at U.S. military installations or facilities. Hosting these types of events in federally funded facilities is not a suitable use of DOD resources,” Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh wrote in a statement.
Nellis is located just outside Las Vegas. The base hosted a 2021 drag show called “Drag-u-Nellis.” A base spokesperson said it was an attempt to promote “inclusivity.”
The scheduled 2023 drag show first caught the Pentagon’s attention during a congressional hearing.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley, and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) got into a heated conversation over the topic.
“HUGE VICTORY,” Gaetz tweeted after news of the event’s cancellation. “Drag shows should not be taking place on military installations with taxpayer dollars PERIOD!”
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