A Pentagon war-college advisor called liberal women a “pestilence” that will end Western civilization — and now critics want him out while supporters say he was hired to clean woke bias from military schools.
Story Highlights
- Kurt Schlichter confirmed he advised a Pentagon war-college review as a temporary civilian employee.
- Schlichter wrote that “leftist women” are a “pestilence” that could lead to civilization’s fall.
- News reports say Pentagon gave influencers government email addresses tied to personnel and readiness.
- Supporters say the review aimed to remove woke ideology from senior military education.
What Schlichter Said And Why It Sparked A Firestorm
Townhall columnist and retired Army colonel Kurt Schlichter published a July column that called liberal women a “pestilence” and a “plague” on Western society. He wrote their actions, if not checked, would “inevitably lead to the fall of civilization.” The language was harsh and drew sharp backlash from the left and from some in the media. The quote is not in dispute; it was written by Schlichter and remains public in his own words.
At the same time, major outlets reported Schlichter had an active government email and was working with the Pentagon in a civilian role. Reports tied these accounts to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. That detail fueled claims that partisan messaging had entered official channels. The Washington Post framed the effort as secretive and political in nature, citing Pentagon records and unnamed sources for context.
What His Pentagon-Linked Role Actually Was
Schlichter responded that a senior Pentagon official asked him, Tom Anderson, and Rob Maness to review the military’s war colleges. He wrote that they entered as temporary special government employees so they could access systems, visit campuses, interview people, and draft recommendations. He said the effort was not secret and that he never took money to post opinions that were not his own. These points come from his own account of the work.
Separate coverage echoed that the assignment focused on a task force to root out so-called woke ideology from senior service curricula. Wired reported that Schlichter confirmed he was a civilian government employee on a task force focused on the war colleges. That description aligns with claims from supportive outlets that the goal was to remove ideological bias from military education, not to run public relations.
What Matters For Readiness, Ethics, And Transparency
Conservatives want war colleges that train warriors, not activists. If a review focused on cutting fads and restoring rigor, that matches core defense needs. Civil-military research says civilians may oversee defense and request information when properly tasked, though roles should be clear and accountable. That balance keeps oversight lawful while avoiding confusion over advocacy versus advice in uniformed education programs.
The conflict comes from two facts: Schlichter’s incendiary public writing and his limited, government-linked advisory status. Critics say the rhetoric is unfit for anyone tied to federal duty. Supporters say personal opinions do not change the need to purge bias from classrooms and that the review followed normal rules. Reports about active government emails add pressure for clarity on duties and boundaries, which the Pentagon has not fully detailed in public forums.
How Conservatives Can Weigh The Claims
Readers should separate three questions. First, did Schlichter use extreme language? Yes; his column states it plainly. Second, did he serve in a defined advisory role on war colleges? He says yes and describes specific tasks and status, and he denies pay for posts. Third, did the Pentagon embed partisan influencers for messaging? The Post suggests that risk; Schlichter’s account frames it as a curriculum review. Without official documents, that dispute remains partly unresolved.
The core policy stakes are not vague. America needs lethal, focused schools for senior officers. If the task force targeted weak standards or politicized content, that is a win for readiness. But the government also owes the public clear lines: who is doing what, under what authority, and with what guardrails. Conservative readers can back strong oversight and demand sunlight at once. Both support the mission and protect trust in those who defend the country.
Sources:
wired.com, detroitnews.com, townhall.com, lucianne.com
