What appeared to be an armored military convoy flying a Donald Trump campaign flag stirred controversy in Louisville this week, leading many to wonder whether the vehicle belonged to the National Guard, the U.S. military or was a decommissioned vehicle owned by area enthusiasts. Now the military says it belonged to a U.S. Navy SEAL Unit and has launched an investigation.
The U.S. military is intended to be a nonpartisan organization within the government, swearing to serve the Constitution and the people, and not an armed force executing the political agenda of whoever is president at the time. This is why many found this video of the convoy flying the Trump campaign flag is extremely disturbing.
The video is sourced from Louisville-based activist organization indivisibleky, whose spokesperson referred to the act as “very reminiscent of Nazi Germany,” according to Courier Journal.
The video shows four tan Humvees in a formation not unfamiliar with typical military convoy formations, except this one is prominently displaying a Trump flag. What appears to be spray paint marking can be seen on the doors of some of the vehicles, and towards the end of the video, the convoy cuts off traffic from an exit lane.
And last night, officials confirmed the vehicle belonged to an “an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit driving vehicles while transiting between two training locations,” Lieutenant Jacqui Maxwell, a spokeswoman for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, told ABC News:
From ABC News:
“The convoy were service members assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit driving vehicles while transiting between two training locations,” Lieutenant Jacqui Maxwell, a spokesperson for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, told ABC News. Naval Special Warfare Units is the official Navy term for its elite SEAL special operations teams.
Maxwell said that Fort Knox, near Louisville, is used by Naval Special Warfare units for routine training.
The spokesperson said that a command inquiry has been initiated to determine what flag was being flown by the vehicle in the convoy.
“Defense Department and Navy regulations prescribe flags and pennants that may be displayed as well as the manner of display,” said Maxwell. “The flag shown in the video was unauthorized.”
Officials said disciplinary action could be ordered by unit command as a result.