Pentagon Slams Netflix’s New Gay Military Show as “Woke Garbage”
The Pentagon is criticizing Netflix over its new series Boots, saying the show gives a false picture of what life in the U.S. Marines is really like.
The drama, which centers on a gay Marine recruit, has been popular on Netflix since its October 9 release, but it’s also stirred up strong reactions from government officials.
Miles Heizer stars in the new series BOOTS. Marching onto Netflix October 9.
— Netflix (@netflix) September 22, 2025
A closeted teen and his straight best friend try to tough it out as a pair of US Marine Corps recruits in the 1990s. pic.twitter.com/62iLVfz3HA
In a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the military does not back the show’s portrayal of service members. “Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos,” Wilson said.
“Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight.”
Wilson went on to accuse Netflix of pushing what he called an agenda. “We will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children,” he added.
The show Boots is inspired by former Marine Greg Cope White’s memoir The Pink Marine. It follows a gay teenager who joins the Marines with his straight best friend and faces harsh military life under a tough sergeant, while his mother, played by Vera Farmiga, struggles to understand him back home.
Miles Heizer, who stars in the series, said he could relate to his character’s story. In an interview with Variety, Heizer shared, “I had a very, unfortunately, classic gay coming-out story. It was a nightmare, and everyone was upset.”
He added, “I’m lucky my sister, who’s my best friend, could not have cared less and was very there for me. My friends around me were super-supportive, and things have gotten so much better in that regard with my family over the years. But at the time, I definitely had the old Christian upbringing.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who works under President Donald Trump, has faced criticism for his anti-LGBTQ policies.
Earlier this year, he ordered the removal of Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy ship and tried to push out transgender service members. Hegseth has also been vocal about wanting to end what he calls “woke culture” in the military and has proposed stricter physical standards.
While Boots continues to climb Netflix’s charts, its mix of LGBTQ themes and military life has sparked debate. The Pentagon’s harsh response adds another layer to the conversation about how media portrays soldiers and the ongoing clash between politics and entertainment.
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