A senior female officer at NATO has allegedly been fired from office over her “woke views.” The California native, identified as U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, is the third top-ranking female officer who has been relieved from her duties since Trump resumed office for his second administration.
Since Trump got into office, his government has enforced several anti-diversity campaigns and has made several moves to remove leaders who are in support of DEI programs.
Chatfield, the latest victim, has a master’s degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from the University of San Diego. She previously worked as a helicopter pilot in the Pacific and the Persian Gulf. She also has a bronze star from her service as the senior military assistant to the supreme allied commander Europe.
Before she was fired, Chatfield was a Navy helicopter pilot working on NATO’s military committee. While no exact reasons were given for her termination, U.S. officials say she was targeted because her name was on a list of senior military officers labeled as “woke” by the American Accountability Foundation.
Per The Associated Press, the foundation allegedly sent a letter to the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” As such, it is believed Hegseth was behind the termination of Chatfield’s contract. The letter allegedly pointed out that she supported a diversity summit on LinkedIn and spoke about diversity in a Women’s Equality Day program in 2015.
Many people have condemned the firing of the Navy female officer, including Sen. Mark Warner. “Trump’s relentless attacks on our alliances and his careless dismissal of decorated military officials make us less safe and weaken our position across the world,” Warner said via X.
People on social media also reacted to the termination, saying it was cruel and baseless.
“1950s white male Christian supremacy. Cruelty is what this regime is about,” one user said. “There was Salem, and now there’s wokism,” another said.
Other social media users think that Chatfield’s termination is a direct attack on women and a strategy to make the government a white male dominated space.
One user argued, “When you look at this woman’s resume and experience, she’s 100 times more qualified and competent to lead than Hegseth. So pretty much the U.S. military: if you’re not a white male, you either clean the latrines, work the kitchens, or get the f*ck out. Let’s see how long it remains an effective fighting force.”
Another user agreed, saying, “Admiraling while female is enough to get you fired these days.”
Before Chatfield was let go, two other high-ranking women were also fired. Hegseth fired the chief of naval operations, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, in February. A day after he was sworn into office, Trump also fired Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan.