June 25, 2021

The conservative crusade against critical race theory has entered the national security arena — with Republican lawmakers accusing the Pentagon of embracing the ideology and locking horns with military brass — and is likely to weigh on deliberations on defense policy legislation this summer.

GOP lawmakers and right-wing personalities have assailed Pentagon leadership for its efforts to combat extremism and racism in the ranks, arguing it has made the military "woke." The mounting culture wars could be one of the more hotly debated issues when the House Armed Services Committee considers its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass bill that will likely need at least some Republican support to pass.

"I think you can expect that, in the NDAA markup, for this conversation to be a part of it," said Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), an Armed Services member who chairs the conservative Republican Study Committee.

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