“Boots” is causing a stir in the Pentagon: Why the Netflix series about an unouted Marine has sparked a political controversy – and what the current US government says about it.
“Boots,” the hit Netflix series about an unidentified teenager who joins the Marines, has prompted an official response from the U.S. Department of Defense, a first in U.S. history.
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Pentagon press secretary accuses Netflix of ideologizing
In a statement originally shared with Entertainment Weekly, Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson said the U.S. military will return to “restoring the warrior ethos” under the administration of President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth. Wilson stressed that the Defense Department will not sacrifice its “standards” for an “ideological agenda,” as Netflix is currently reportedly doing. He accused those responsible for the streaming service of presenting their viewers and their “children with constantly woke garbage”.
Origin of the series and today’s significance
Currently the sixth most-watched series on Netflix worldwide, it is based on Greg Cope White’s 2015 memoir “The Pink Marine” and is set in the 1990s. Lead actor Miles Heizer, a gay actor, recently spoke about the relevance of the production: “When we started filming the series, I don’t think we had any intention of conveying a message that is so relevant today,” said Heizer about the recording, which began in 2023. During filming, “all these things started happening.” In his opinion, it was “very interesting that ‘Boots’ sheds light on what is actually happening now, even though the series is set in 1990” – which worries him greatly, as The Guardian reported.
Hegseth campaigns against the visibility of homosexuality
In the first half of 2025, Hegseth ordered the US Navy to remove the name of gay activist Harvey Milk from one of its ships. He justified the decision with the aim of restoring the military’s “warrior culture,” according to The Guardian.
Pentagon continues to restrict press freedom
The Pentagon’s statement comes at a time when the department is under fire for requiring journalists to sign new guidelines that could limit the quality and trustworthiness of their work. In response, numerous news organizations have returned their press credentials.