On September 16th, the Secretary of the Air Force issued a letter telling Airmen and Guardians to avoid social media posts that unlawfully attack others based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin—or political beliefs. On the surface, it’s legally accurate. But as Nate Charles explains, it’s also deliberately deceptive. The inclusion of “political beliefs” blurs the line, suggesting that service members cannot criticize politics at all—when in fact, they can. This episode unpacks why that distinction matters, why it’s almost certainly tied to the current political climate following Charlie Kirk’s death, and why doublespeak from senior leadership erodes trust within the military.
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