Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth withdrew a Navy admiral’s nomination to lead the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet — the Navy’s largest overseas force — amid reports of drag shows taking place under his command seven years ago, the Pentagon confirmed.
Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly was named as a candidate for promotion to vice admiral and commander of the 7th Fleet on June 18 by President Donald Trump. But amid a recent report by conservative news outlet The Daily Wire about Donnelly allowing drag performances under his command aboard the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, the Pentagon has moved on from the admiral.
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“The Secretary is thankful for his continued service and wishes him luck in his next position,” a senior defense official told Military Times in an emailed statement. “The Department will open up nominations for the 7th fleet commander.”
The Pentagon did not comment on whether the report served as a catalyst for the withdrawal of the nomination.
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Donnelly commanded the Ronald Reagan from April 2016 to September 2018 and is currently the director of the Navy’s Air Warfare Division. He has also commanded Carrier Strike Group 5, assigned to the 7th Fleet and home ported in Yokosuka, Japan.
The Daily Wire, a media company founded by Ben Shapiro that produces the hit conservative podcast The Ben Shapiro Show, alleged that during Donnelly’s time as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier between April 2016 and September 2018, Donnelly was responsible for drag queen performances by Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley for “Morale, Welfare and Recreation,” or MWR, events.
The Pennsylvania native joined the Navy in 2016 and occasionally performed at MWR shows under the stage name “Harpy Daniels.”
The sailor notably won a $1,000 Navy Exchange card for finishing second in a lip sync battle in 2018.
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Kelley — who is now a petty officer first class with the guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley at Naval Station Rota, Spain, according to reports — has previously drawn the ire of conservative organizations for his social media presence.
In 2023, America First Legal sent a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, Naval Inspector General and the Deputy Naval Inspector General asking that Kelley be investigated for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Specifically, the conservative organization argued, Kelley had discredited the military through obscene social media posts and engaged in partisan politics.
The organization called Kelley out for his public support of Democratic political candidates on his X account and public disdain for President Trump, among other actions it saw as inappropriate.
“In order to preserve the Navy’s reputation, swift action must be taken to restore good order and discipline and to prevent further partisan activity that implies Navy endorsement of particular candidates and causes,” said America First Legal attorney Jacob Meckler. “America First Legal will not stand by and allow Kelley to sacrifice the military’s reputation in pursuit of his own partisan agenda.”
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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