EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon Ditches Admiral Who Allowed Drag Queen Performances On Aircraft Carrier

WASHINGTON—The Defense Department is withdrawing the nomination of Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly, The Daily Wire can first report, under whose command drag performances took place on board the USS Ronald Reagan.

Donnelly served as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier from April 2016 to September 2018, during which time Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley performed as a drag queen under the name “Harpy Daniels” at a department-sanctioned “Morale, Welfare, and Recreation” event on the aircraft carrier.

The Defense Department announced on June 18 that President Donald Trump had nominated Donnelly for promotion to vice admiral and an appointment as commander of the 7th Fleet, the largest overseas force that the Navy has.

Following inquiries from The Daily Wire about Donnelly and the drag queen shows he permitted on board the USS Ronald Reagan, a source at the Defense Department said that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is withdrawing Donnelly’s nomination to lead the 7th Fleet.

Hegseth is looking for a new 7th Fleet commander, the source shared.

This dude got his start doing drag shows on the USS Ronald Reagan in 2017.

The commander of the Reagan in 17, Michael P. Donnelly, is up for promotion now. Thankfully, @SenTuberville is holding up his nom over the Pentagon funding abortions.

This is a fight worth having. https://t.co/WkeZuySz6e

— William Thibeau (@WilliamThibeau) May 3, 2023

Donnelly drew national attention in 2023 when Sen. Tommy Tuberville held up his promotion to rear admiral as part of his blockade on Defense Department promotions. The Alabama Republican was fighting President Joe Biden’s policy providing three weeks of paid leave and reimbursement of travel expenses for military personnel and their dependents who wanted abortions.

Tuberville argued that the policy was one of many taxpayer-funded Defense Department initiatives unrelated to the agency’s mission of protecting the United States. He called on the former Navy leadership in a May 2023 letter to name the officers responsible for funding and promoting drag queen performances.

Defense Department photo of Admiral Donnelly.

A number of legacy media outlets, including NBC and the Military Times, had highlighted the drag shows that occurred during Donnelly’s tour.

“Navy drag queen ‘Harpy Daniels’ is serving looks — and the country,” NBC headlined their story. The Military Times report was replete with photos of Kelley in drag, including one where he is doing a split in front of his fellow service members.

This type of significant press attention would have been “a standard reporting requirement directly to Captain Donnelly at the time,” William Thibeau, director of The American Military Project at The Claremont Institute, told The Daily Signal at the time.

Donnelly is a 2002 graduate of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and served as commanding officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154), the last commanding officer of USS Denver deployed to Sasebo, Japan, commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan deployed to Yokosuka, Japan and commander of Task Force Seven Zero/Carrier Strike Group Five.