An Army drill sergeant is under investigation after a video surfaced showing soldiers performing physical exercises beneath a political banner supporting former President Donald Trump.
Staff Sgt. Thomas Mitchell allegedly posted the video, which featured trainees doing pushups and burpees under a flag that read, “This is Ultra MAGA Country,” while stationed at a military base in Georgia.
The original video was posted to the now-deleted TikTok account @11chuckduece. A second video was later re-uploaded with the caption, “Cry about it,” before that account also disappeared.
Mitchell currently serves as an infantry drill sergeant with B Company, 2-19th Infantry Battalion, 198th Infantry Training Brigade, located at Fort Benning, Georgia. His current status during the investigation has not been disclosed.
The U.S. Army prohibits partisan political displays and has rules governing political activity on federal property and in uniform. According to Military.com, the video violated multiple military regulations.
Army spokesperson Jennifer Gunn emphasized in a statement that the military is an apolitical organization and confirmed that the incident would be reviewed in accordance with regulations, per the Daily Mail.
Joe Cole, Garrison Public Affairs Director, confirmed to Law & Crime that the investigation could be lengthy and that the Army is committed to maintaining a politically neutral environment.
Army regulations explicitly prohibit the display of partisan political materials in training areas and other government facilities. They also bar those in authority from using their position to politically influence subordinates.
Defense Department regulations are designed to preserve the nonpartisan nature of the military, barring the presence of political flags or memorabilia in federal buildings and restricting political activity while in uniform.
The incident follows a recent event in which President Trump gave a speech at Fort Bragg to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary. Reports claim that troops behind him were selected for their physical appearance and political views.
Internal messages from the 82nd Airborne Division instructed soldiers not to be overweight and indicated that those opposed to the administration’s views could request to be swapped out of the crowd.
The crowd behind Trump was largely white and male, and video showed them booing California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The soldiers also booed former President Joe Biden and the media while laughing at Trump’s criticisms of his successor.
These actions may also violate Department of Defense protocols, which emphasize political neutrality within the ranks. The Army’s latest field manual underscores that being nonpartisan means not favoring any political party.
The manual states soldiers may participate in political activities, but not while in uniform. It warns that their conduct could impact the public’s perception of the Army’s trustworthiness.
An unnamed 82nd Airborne NCO said the reactions seen at the Fort Bragg event could be interpreted as political expression in uniform. He doubted whether some soldiers even knew the officials they were booing.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected accusations of misconduct, stating that “no one needs to be encouraged to boo the media,” and dismissed the report as an unfair attack on the soldiers.
Though regulations may have been breached, Army officials told Military.com that the soldiers involved in the Trump event would likely not face consequences due to the context of the commander-in-chief’s presence.
