A U.S. Army drill sergeant is under investigation after posting a social media video showing soldiers getting hazed beneath a flag lauding President Donald Trump.
Staff Sgt. Thomas Mitchell uploaded the video Friday to his TikTok account showing trainees performing pushups and burpees in full body armor underneath a flag reading, "This Is Ultra MAGA Country," and shortly after deleting that video he posted another, captioned "cry about it," showing the same exercises but with the flag removed, reported Military.com.
"The U.S. Army is an apolitical organization," said service spokesperson Jennifer Gunn. "Displaying partisan political materials in government facilities, including training areas, is prohibited under Army regulation. We will investigate this matter and address it in accordance with established policies to ensure compliance with standards of conduct and to maintain an environment free from political influence."
The Department of Defense strictly prohibits the display of political flags or other partisan memorabilia inside federal buildings, and additional rules bar troops in positions of authority from trying to sway subordinates politically, and most political activity is restricted while service members are in uniform or on duty.
"We don't do politics," said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday at the right-wing Turning Point USA conference. "We do warfighting on the behalf of the American people to keep everybody safe."
Trump himself delivered a highly partisan speech last month at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he encouraged soldiers in uniform to jeer his political rivals and applaud his campaign rally-style talking points, and he ordered a parade that same month coinciding with the Army's founding and his own birthday.
Mitchell is stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he serves as an infantry drill sergeant with B Company, 2-19th Infantry Battalion, 198th Infantry Training Brigade.