GOP rep reveals after F-16 ride why Trump's leadership is already paying off for military
EXCLUSIVE: Fox News Digital spoke to GOP Rep. Abe Hamadeh about the state of the U.S. military after four years of the Biden administration, following the freshman congressman's visit to an Arizona Air Force base to meet with service members and fly in an F-16 fighter jet.
"Under President Trump's leadership, there's a renewed sense of purpose in our military. He has made it clear from day one that his mission is to reenergize and refocus our armed forces," Hamadeh said after his visit to Luke Air Force Base in Maricopa County, Arizona, where 70% of the world's F-35 pilots train.
Hamadeh, who flew in an F-16 at the base, met with airmen of the 56th Fighter Wing and posted the video on X, spoke about how the military is returning to its "core mission" under Trump.
"Eliminating the failed woke DEI agenda pushed by the Democrats has already boosted morale," Hamadeh said.
"When I served overseas as a captain and intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, I saw firsthand how Biden and Secretary Lloyd Austin's first order of business was a military-wide stand-down to lecture service members about so-called 'right-wing extremism.' That kind of political nonsense has no place in our armed forces. Now, with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth at the helm, the military is returning to its core mission, being the most lethal fighting force on earth and defending America's national security interests."
Fox News Digital extensively reported on sagging military recruitment during the Biden administration, which Hamadeh said was due in part to "lost focus" during those years.
"Americans watched in horror as our heroes were disrespected by their own government. One of Biden's worst decisions was forcing service members to take the COVID vaccine, disregarding their personal and religious freedoms," Hamadeh explained.
"This culture of disrespect was only magnified by the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal, which resulted in unnecessary tragedy and humiliation. President Trump has already taken action to correct these wrongs – by executive order, he reinstated thousands of service members who were wrongfully discharged for refusing an experimental vaccine. Under his leadership, respect for our troops is being restored, and recruitment will rise again because service members know they'll be treated with the dignity they deserve."
Hamadeh, whose flight on the F-16 was one of the last on the base before the aircraft training is moved to New Mexico and the base focuses on F-35s, emphasized to Fox News Digital that DEI was a "disaster" for the military.
"Warfighters should be focused on strength, discipline, and mission success – not political indoctrination," Hamadeh said. "The left's obsession with identity politics has weakened recruitment, lowered standards, and distracted from what actually matters: making sure our military is the most dominant force in the world. If anything should be merit-based, it's the entity tasked with protecting us and keeping us safe."
Trump signed an executive order in January banning DEI in the military in a move Hamadeh, who serves on both the House Armed Services Committee and House Veterans Affairs Committee, said will improve the military's effectiveness.
"President Trump understands that victory, not virtue signaling, is the priority," Hamadeh said. "By removing DEI and refocusing on warfighting, we are ensuring that our troops are prepared, our adversaries are deterred, and America remains strong."
Fox News Digital previously reported that military recruitment appeared to be trending higher since Trump's November victory, highlighted by the U.S. Army announcing that December 2024 was its most productive recruiting month in 15 years.
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