In a recent development, an advisory was distributed amongst the personnel of Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota concerning a local event, the “Dakota Patriot Rally.” The text message urged service members to exercise caution if they were to be downtown during the rally, which featured a speaker from Turning Point Action, a conservative organization known for its support of former President Donald Trump.
The text message shared with the Minot Air Force Base staff indicated that some rally attendees “could be confrontational to military members.” The advisory also mentioned that participation with groups such as Turning Point Action might impact their military careers.
The guest speaker at the Dakota Patriot Rally was Tyler Bowyer, the Chief Operating Officer of Turning Point Action. He has held various political positions before joining Turning Point USA and is recognized as a conservative activist.
"Participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the US military."
The Biden DoD has declared war on its political enemies.
I am demanding answers from the Air Force about this partisan weaponization of our military!!…
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) November 21, 2023
Turning Point Action, when reached for comment, clarified that the event was not officially recognized by them. A spokesperson for the group called the text message warning “absolutely appalling” and contested the label of the organization as “alt-right.” They emphasized that Turning Point Action is a mainstream conservative organization and expressed concern over the implications that affiliation with the organization could jeopardize a service member’s career.
The spokesperson further argued that the notion of Turning Point Action or its affiliates being “confrontational to military members” is unfounded, stating that they are among the U.S military’s most ardent supporters.
The spokesperson’s response concluded with a call for a congressional hearing and investigation into the matter, stressing that such warnings could have detrimental effects on the military’s recruitment efforts.
