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Military officials have made updates to policy after a mall on an American military base was found to be selling figurines of former Republican President Donald Trump bearing the slogan "Let's Go Brandon," a euphemistic slur against Democratic President Joe Biden that stands for "Fu*k Joe Biden."
The vendor selling the figurines at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage is not affiliated with the military himself, and his contract with the mall on the base has since expired.
But his selling of the figurines has prompted officials to update their policies on what is and is not appropriate goods to be sold on military bases.
Trump 'Let's Go Brandon' figurines sold at U.S. military base spark policy changehttps://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2656180741/\u00a0\u2026— Raw Story (@Raw Story) 1640748138
"Let's go Brandon" emerged as a right-wing slur against Biden in October following an incident in which a reporter either misheard or misrepresented an Alabama NASCAR crowd's chant of "Fu*k Joe Biden" as being a cheer for the winner of the day's race, NASCAR driver Brandon Brown.
It has since occasionally taken on more sinister attributes, such as gun dealers selling guns and ammo engraved with the phrase and Biden's likeness.
Given this context, the wooden figurines sold at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which were of bears stylized to look like former President Trump holding a sign reading "Let’s Go Brandon," raised alarms among military officials, according to local newspaper The Anchorage Daily News.
Under Department of Defense guidance issued in 2020, active-duty military are prohibited from overt support of politicians, causes or campaigns that could give the impression the military has a partisan affiliation. An apolitical military is considered a cornerstone of the system of checks and balances outlined in the Constitution.
Chris Ward, senior public affairs manager for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, told The Anchorage Daily News that the military has policies against products which are illegal, promote use of drugs or alcohol, contain racial or ethnic slurs or that condone racial or ethnic supremacy, and which are "lewd, profane and vulgar."
Though the "Let's Go Brandon" figurines don't explicitly fall under these categories, they were found to be inappropriate, and Ward told the Daily News policies would be updated accordingly.
“Once this product was identified, it was determined to be outside the established parameters for resale."
“Communication to incoming vendors will reflect the need to exclude products of this nature going forward."
On social media many were unnerved that such ominously partisan figurines were sold to military members.
Just what we don't need. A radicalized Isis-like military, hopped up on hate. Trump 'Let's Go Brandon' figurines sold at U.S. military base spark policy changehttps://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2656180741/\u00a0\u2026— Callie Khouri (@Callie Khouri) 1640818370
@shopmyexchange has managed to bring discredit to the Armed Forces and whoever allowed this to happen should be terminated.\nThis is a direct act of insubordination against the @POTUS Commander in Chief. \nExchange benefits are a BENEFIT for servicemembers and Veterans ...https://twitter.com/CREWcrew/status/1476297087381917700\u00a0\u2026— Maryellen Get\ud83d\udc89 (@Maryellen Get\ud83d\udc89) 1640812676
The military workers disrespecting the Commander in Chief at a military base? Isn\u2019t there a penalty for that???— Jim 1999 (@Jim 1999) 1640817798
We were just warned by three former Generals that we have a military problem and they fear another insurrection - a successful one this time. #GOPCoupAttempthttps://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2656180741/\u00a0\u2026— KLWags\ud83d\ude18 (@KLWags\ud83d\ude18) 1640794871
.\u2066@DeptofDefense\u2069 - \u201cproducts of this nature\u201d? You mean giving the middle finger to their Commander in Chief. \n\nWho is in charge - the insurrection leader? You people need to clean house.https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2656180741/\u00a0\u2026— TXKicker Featuring ArchieTheDog (@TXKicker Featuring ArchieTheDog) 1640782910
So much for respecting their Commander in Chief.— Just Debi, no stache \ud83c\udf84\ud83c\udf85 (@Just Debi, no stache \ud83c\udf84\ud83c\udf85) 1640812044
I can\u2019t believe this. @DoD_IG @DeptofDefense do better.https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2656180741/\u00a0\u2026— Nancy has been jabbed (@Nancy has been jabbed) 1640786283
The U.S. Army is finished.\nIt's clearly being split down political lines.— Mark \ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f (@Mark \ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f) 1640773673
They need to stop the 24/7 fox News feed on military bases while they're at it...— dob bobalina (@dob bobalina) 1640751522
I thought the military personnel was never supposed to disrespect the Commander in Chief?\n\nTrump \u2018Let\u2018s Go Brandon\u2019\u00a0Figurines Were on Sale at U.S. Military Base https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-lets-go-brandon-figurines-were-on-sale-at-joint-base-elmendorf-richardson?source=twitter&via=desktop\u00a0\u2026 via @thedailybeast— Tom Williams (@Tom Williams) 1640791895
In recent years, the military has seen a shocking rise in its members' affiliations with white nationalist groups and other of the far-right ideologies for which "Let's Go Brandon" has become a rallying cry. In 2020, more than one-third of service members reported witnessing service members engaging in white nationalist or other extremist activity.