The U.S. Navy is facing calls to investigate one of its "digital ambassadors," a drag queen named Harpy Daniels (Yeoman Second Class Joshua Kelley), for allegedly violating military protocols with political and sexually explicit online posts. A conservative legal organization, America First Legal, has formally requested an inquiry, highlighting Kelley's public support for Democrats and sexually suggestive content on social media platforms like Twitter.
Kelley, who assumed the role of digital ambassador in late 2022, has reportedly tweeted numerous times expressing political affiliations, a potential breach of Department of Defense regulations that prohibit active-duty personnel from endorsing political parties or candidates. Examples cited include a 2018 tweet celebrating the "Blue Wave" and a 2020 post confirming he voted Democrat. Following the publication of the story, Kelley's Twitter account was deactivated.
America First Legal's letter to Navy officials also points to a tweet where Kelley seemingly criticizes the U.S. 7th Fleet, potentially violating military rules against public disparagement of the armed forces. Furthermore, the organization raised concerns about sexually explicit posts, including one referencing oral sex, and Kelley's public opposition to Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill.
The legal group argues that the Navy is applying a double standard, citing previous disciplinary actions against conservative service members for similar online behavior. They referenced the case of Sergeant Gary Stein, who received an "Other than Honorable Discharge" for creating a Facebook group critical of President Obama, and two National Guard members disciplined for a TikTok video criticizing liberals. America First Legal contends that Kelley's case should be treated with the same scrutiny applied to politically conservative personnel.
