Service members stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota received a text message ahead of the “Dakota Patriot Rally” on November 17, cautioning them against attending the event in town.
The warning stemmed from the presence of Tyler Bowyer from Turning Point Action, which was falsely deemed by base leadership as an “alt-right” group.
Tyler Bowyer slams the Air Force for targeting @TPAction_:
"All we do is register voters and recruit precinct committee men … There's not very many conservative groups that do this stuff … The left has hundreds of organizations that do this." pic.twitter.com/yyYWKp2hJ8
— Human Events (@HumanEvents) November 22, 2023
The popular 501(c)(4) organization’s chief operating officer had been listed on the rally’s website as a “conservative activist.”
The text message, as reported by Fox News, advised base leaders to “exercise caution” if they were downtown during the event and urged service members to “be careful.” It even suggested that the crowd at the rally “could be confrontational to military members.” Notably, the message went on to inform potential attendees that “participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the US military.”
.@TPAction_'s Tyler Bowyer reacts to a North Dakota Air Force base's warning to members that they would be "jeopardizing" their future in the service if they attended an event he spoke at. pic.twitter.com/7iGnQy8Dvk
— Human Events (@HumanEvents) November 22, 2023
This cautionary message has sparked controversy and accusations of bias against conservative groups. Turning Point Action, responding to the situation, expressed surprise that such a warning would come from a North Dakota Air Force Base. The group, known for its presence on college campuses, called the communication “absurd and unhinged” and urged Congress to investigate the matter.
In a statement to Fox News, Turning Point Action defended itself against the patently false “alt-right” label, stating that it is a mainstream conservative organization. Tyler Bowyer, identified as the COO of TPAction, was described as an accomplished political organizer and an RNC committeeman from Arizona.
Perhaps most contentious was the base’s warning that associating with Turning Point Action could jeopardize military service, a claim vehemently contested by the conservative organization.
The group expressed deep concern over dissuading servicemen and women from affiliating with conservative groups and leaders, emphasizing that such actions could contribute to the Air Force missing its recruiting goals for the first time in decades. Turning Point Action called for an immediate congressional hearing and investigation, demanding accountability for those responsible for the warning.
