Indy Standard

WASHINGTON – Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and 87 members of the Senate and House of Representatives have sent a letter to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth seeking clarification after an anti-terrorism training session at Fort Liberty, North Carolina depicted Pro-Life Americans as terrorists.

In addition to Senator Young, the letter was signed by Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). The letter was also signed by 65 U.S. Representatives, including Rudy Yakym, Jim Banks, and Greg Pence from Indiana.

Organizations supporting the letter include Catholic Vote, National Right to Life Committee, Family Research Council, Americans United for Life, Concerned Women for America, Students for Life Action, SBA Pro-Life America, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and ACLJ Action.

The full text of the letter states: "We write regarding social media reports that anti-terrorism training conducted at Ft. Liberty, North Carolina depicts Pro-Life Americans as terrorists. Specifically, the slides identify National Right to Life, 'Choose Life' license plate holders, and anyone who opposes the Supreme Court’s rightfully overturned decision in Roe v. Wade as members of terrorist groups. Smearing Pro-Life Americans is despicable and emblematic of the ongoing politicization of the military under the Biden-Harris administration."

The letter continues: "The American public expects the Department of Defense and its personnel to defend the homeland from actual terrorists, not Americans who seek protections for children in the womb. Labeling Pro-Life organizations as threats challenges servicemembers’ moral obligation to defend and protect even the smallest among us. In fact, around half of all Americans identify as Pro-Life."

"We understand that the anti-terrorism slide was briefed to a group of soldiers as recently as July 10th. What is unclear is how long these slides have been utilized at Ft. Liberty and whether similar briefings have been used at other installations," it adds.

Ft. Liberty has stated that these slides were not vetted by appropriate approval authorities: "While Ft. Liberty’s statement asserts that the slides 'do not reflect the views of the … U.S. Army or the Department of Defense,' the American people are rightfully concerned that training of this kind is being disseminated in the first place and possibly at other military installations."

The signatories request responses to their questions no later than July 29th.