Air Force cancels Nevada ‘family friendly’ drag show after DOD intervenes

The Department of Defense ordered a Nevada Air Force base to cancel a drag show scheduled for the first day of Pride Month, stating that the events are “not a suitable use” of federal funds.

According to The New York Post, the Pentagon on Wednesday ordered the Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, which has been hosting drag events since June 2021, to either cancel Thursday’s scheduled drag performance or move the event off the base.



The event had been previously approved by Air Force officials, calling it “an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the history and significance of drag performance art within the LGBT+ community.”

The drag show, which was set to feature RuPaul’s Drag Race star CoCo Montrese, was advertised as “family-friendly” and had no minimum age requirement.

Deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told the outlet, “The DOD will not host drag events at US military installations or facilities. Hosting these types of events in federally funded facilities is not a suitable use of DOD resources.”

According to NBC, the order to cancel the event came from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, with sources telling the outlet that Milley became angered when he was told about the event earlier in the week.

Milley previously said he wasn’t aware of the drag events and doesn’t “agree with those.”

One Air Force official told NBC, “The Air Force will not host drag events at its installations or facilities. Commanders have been directed to either cancel or relocate these events to an off-base location.”

During a March 29 House Armed Services Committee hearing, Austin said, “Drag queen story hours is not something that the Department funds."