Conservative firebrand and rising GOP voice Karoline Leavitt is making headlines once again—this time for taking direct aim at Pride Month, calling for it to be abolished and replaced with a national “Veterans Month” each June. In a fiery social media post that quickly went viral among both critics and supporters, the former Trump White House staffer didn’t mince words.
“We dedicate an entire month to sexual identity—but only one day to the brave men and women who risked their lives for this country. That’s backward,” Leavitt declared.
A Patriotic Pivot—or Political Provocation?
According to Leavitt, her proposal isn’t about hate—it’s about “reclaiming our national values” and refocusing public attention on what she describes as “the real heroes of America: our veterans.”
“June should be about honoring sacrifice, not celebrating sexuality,” she wrote. “Our military veterans deserve more than parades and hashtags. They deserve recognition, resources, and a month that belongs to them.”
Critics immediately accused Leavitt of using veterans as a political cudgel to undermine LGBTQ+ recognition and visibility. Progressives called the move a transparent culture war tactic, while LGBTQ+ rights groups labeled her rhetoric as divisive and erasing.
But Leavitt doubled down in a follow-up interview on a conservative podcast, claiming that Pride Month has become “a corporate circus” and that Americans are “tired of being forced to celebrate ideologies they don’t believe in.”
Support from the Right
Leavitt’s proposal gained traction among some Republican lawmakers and conservative influencers, with hashtags like #VeteransMonthNow and #HonorNotIdeology trending briefly on X (formerly Twitter). Several veterans themselves expressed support for the idea, saying they feel “neglected and tokenized” by the current national focus.
One retired Marine commented, “We don’t want to take anything away from others. But it’s true—we get one day. Why not a month?”
Pushback from Pride Advocates
LGBTQ+ advocates argue that Pride Month serves a critical purpose in remembering historic struggles, especially the Stonewall Riots, and advancing equality in a country where anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is still being proposed and passed.
“Pride is not about overshadowing veterans,” said one activist. “It’s about survival, visibility, and human rights. There’s room in our calendar for both.”
Culture War Continues
With the 2024 election season still echoing into 2025, Leavitt’s call to reframe June as Veterans Month fits into a broader trend of conservative cultural realignment—challenging corporate Pride campaigns, school policies on gender identity, and what they describe as the “progressive monopoly on public discourse.”
Whether or not the proposal gains legislative traction, it’s clear that Karoline Leavitt is staking her brand on bold, headline-grabbing contrasts—and she’s not backing down.
“It’s not hate to honor our heroes,” she said. “It’s patriotism.”
