Officials at the Pentagon during President Donald Trump’s administration have expressed their disapproval of Netflix’s “Boots,” a military drama depicting the story of a closeted gay teenager who enlists.
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson criticized the show as “woke garbage” in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly.
Wilson’s statement emphasized, “Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is focused on reestablishing the warrior ethos. Our standards remain elite, uniform, and sex-neutral, as the weight of a rucksack or an individual does not discriminate based on gender or sexual orientation. We refuse to dilute our standards to align with an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix, whose leadership regularly produces and promotes woke narratives to their audience and children.”
“Boots” is adapted from Greg Cope White’s memoir, “The Pink Marine,” and premiered on Netflix on October 9. Cast members include “Miles Heizer” portraying Cameron Cope, who spontaneously decides to enlist in the military with his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) in the 1990s. The narrative unfolds four years prior to the introduction of President Bill Clinton’s controversial Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. The show notably features several openly gay actors, such as Angus O’Brien as a carefree enlistee and Max Parker as a closeted drill sergeant.
In an interview with Variety, Heizer remarked, “At the onset of filming [in 2023], we didn’t anticipate that we would convey a message so pertinent to current service conditions. Yet, as production progressed, numerous relevant events unfolded. It’s fascinating that ‘Boots’ highlights ongoing issues, despite its 1990 setting. It’s quite disheartening.”
He further noted, “It’s also remarkable to witness a predominantly queer team behind the scenes. The collaboration of such a significant number of queer individuals and women in creating this show is incredibly unusual.”
Variety has reached out to Netflix for a response regarding the Pentagon’s remarks.
