Pentagon blasts Netflix fare as ‘woke garbage’ after it releases a show about a gay Marine

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The right wing‘s war on Netflix wages on.

After Entertainment Weekly asked about the new series “Boots,” the Pentagon released a statement criticizing Netflix on Friday. Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson didn’t mention the show directly, which focuses on a gay coming-of-age story within the military, but he accused Netflix of pushing a political “ideological agenda” and providing inappropriate content to viewers and children.

According to a statement by Wilson, the U.S. military under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth is refocusing on traditional values of strength and skill. They emphasize that military standards are high and apply equally to everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, because physical challenges don’t consider personal characteristics. Wilson contrasted this with Netflix, which they accuse of prioritizing progressive content over quality and exposing audiences, including children, to what they consider inappropriate material.

Television

For their roles in the Netflix series ‘Boots,’ Miles Heizer and Max Parker underwent intense training similar to Marine boot camp. They also worked closely with the show’s military advisors to make their characters feel realistic and authentic.

The Trump administration has tried to revive a more traditional, aggressive military culture by banning transgender individuals from service, publicly criticizing the physical appearance of military leaders and other personnel, and vowing to eliminate what it calls “woke” policies. This follows the Pentagon’s recent implementation of a strict new media policy that incorrectly portrays standard journalistic practices as illegal.

Inspired by Greg Cope White’s 2016 memoir, “The Pink Marine,” “Boots” tells the story of Cam Cope (played by Miles Heizer), a young gay man who joins the Marines when it was still illegal to be openly gay in the military. In a review for the Los Angeles Times, critic Robert Lloyd described the show as a “good-hearted and sentimental miniseries” that feels particularly relevant today.

The show’s creators consulted with former military personnel to realistically depict the lives of Marines during the 1990s.

Review

‘Boots’ is a timely, if predictable, series depicting struggles of gay Marines in the ’90s

This Netflix miniseries follows a gay teenager, played by Miles Heizer, who enlists in the Marines with his best friend. It offers a glimpse into what military life was like before the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy was in place.

The Pentagon has criticized Netflix shortly after Elon Musk publicly urged people to cancel their subscriptions. Musk, who has sometimes supported Donald Trump, complained on X (formerly Twitter) about a transgender character featured in the animated Netflix series “Dead End: Paranormal Park.” The show was canceled after its second season aired in 2022.

Netflix has faced criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While often criticized by those on the right, the platform has also been accused of featuring content that is harmful to transgender people. In 2021, comedian Dave Chappelle’s special “The Closer” included comments considered transphobic, leading to protests, employee walkouts, and one resignation. The following year, Netflix released another comedy special, this time from Ricky Gervais, which also contained similar problematic material.

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2025-10-18 02:31