President Donald Trump’s choice to lead one of the military’s most elite units has now reportedly triggered an unusual backlash from his own supporters, as conservatives raise alarms about the nominee’s record of promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the armed forces.
On September 5, Trump recommended Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga, current commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), to take over the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).
But many conservatives have long been wary of Braga, accusing him of advancing progressive policies that have eroded confidence within the ranks.
William Thibeau, director of the American Military Project at The Claremont Institute, said the reaction from service members has been one of “utter dismay.” In a widely shared post, Thibeau pointed to Braga’s authorship of the “Women in ARSOF” report, which he said painted Special Operations Forces operators “as bigots and sexists.”
“Braga published the ‘Women in ARSOF’ report where he surveyed SOF operators only to cast them as bigots and sexists,” Thibeau wrote, adding that the document has since been scrubbed from the USASOC website.
The 2023 report sought to “break down barriers” within Army Special Operations and promote inclusion. Braga himself expressed “disappointment” with some of the soldier feedback, noting that “an overtly sexist sentiment emerged” during the study.
Among the comments cited were, “The idea that women are EQUALLY as physically, mentally and emotionally capable as men … is, quite frankly, ridiculous,” and “Females have no place on a Team. It’s an unnecessary wrench in a perfectly functional system in the name of ‘political correctness.’”
Critics argue Braga went out of his way to cast operators in a negative light. “It seems unlikely that any superior officer or political official ordered him to cast wide swaths of operators, Rangers, and Green Berets as bigots and sexists,” Thibeau said, adding that “President Trump and Secretary Hegseth cannot have the confidence that he will faithfully discharge their orders to undo DEI in the military when he was such a vigorous proponent of those policies in the first place.”
Other conservatives have pointed to Braga’s record on LGBT issues. Under his leadership, USASOC posted the Pride Progress flag across all social media channels in June 2023, declaring, “USASOC recognizes June as Pride month, celebrating all LGBTQ+ members in our formations.” The statement, echoing a Department of Defense memo, claimed that “LGBTQ Army Soldiers and Civilians” had strengthened the military “despite the challenges” they faced.
The popular X account Libs of TikTok warned that Braga should not be “anywhere near the Trump administration,” citing his record of promoting DEI.
In February, the account resurfaced a memo Braga signed in 2024 making diversity a mandatory performance “element/standard” across USASOC. That document pledged that management would “work towards identifying and eliminating inequities” and “take prompt and appropriate action to resolve discriminatory issues.”
Braga also signed a 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment memo that required commanders to “foster a climate of diversity and inclusion” within their units.
These actions align with the priorities of President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who both advanced DEI policies within the federal government and military.
For conservatives, however, Braga’s embrace of such initiatives underscores a deeper concern: that the military’s elite fighting units are being politicized in ways that weaken readiness.
As Trump moves to reshape the Pentagon, his nomination of Braga to lead JSOC has set off a debate not just about one officer’s record, but about the future direction of America’s most lethal force.
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