Duckworth slams Tucker Carlson over remarks on women in the military

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) on Thursday slammed Fox News host Tucker Carlson after his comments earlier this week disparaging the military for its recent changes to attract and retain more female service members.

“F— Tucker Carlson. While he was practicing his two-step, America’s female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America’s women. Happy belated International Women’s Day to everyone but Tucker, who even I can dance better than,” Duckworth tweeted alongside a video of Carlson on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

F*ck Tucker Carlson. While he was practicing his two-step, America’s female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America’s women.

Happy belated International Women’s Day to everyone but Tucker, who even I can dance better than. pic.twitter.com/E4wchht9lA

— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyforIL) March 11, 2021

Duckworth, a former combat pilot in the Iraq War who lost both legs after her helicopter was downed, was responding to Carlson’s comments on Tuesday calling pregnant women serving “a mockery of the U.S. military.”

“So we’ve got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits. Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the U.S. military,” Carlson said.

“While China’s military becomes more masculine as it has assembled the world’s largest navy, our military needs to become as Joe Biden says more feminine, whatever feminine means anymore,” he continued.

Tucker gave the monologue next to a picture of an Air Force officer, who was wearing an artificial bump, modeling a flight suit designed for pregnant women — a change initiated in 2019 under the Trump administration.

The Army in January unveiled new grooming standards that had been recommended in December under former President Trump.

Senior military leaders swiftly admonished Carlson for the comments.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby relayed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s “revulsion” at the segment, and several top military officers took to Twitter to hit back at Carlson.

“Women lead our most lethal units with character,” tweeted Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, the service’s top enlisted leader. “They will dominate ANY future battlefield we’re called to fight on. @TuckerCarlson’s words are divisive, don’t reflect our values. We have THE MOST professional, educated, agile, and strongest [noncommissioned officer] Corps in the world.”

Women lead our most lethal units with character. They will dominate ANY future battlefield we’re called to fight on. @TuckerCarlson’s words are divisive, don’t reflect our values. We have THE MOST professional, educated, agile, and strongest NCO Corps in the world. https://t.co/WeqWk6IWDq

— SMA Michael Grinston (@16thSMA) March 11, 2021