Gen. McChrystal waffles after claiming ‘no one cares’ if there are transgenders in military

Retired Army General Stanley Allen McChrystal joined Bill Maher to discuss his “different view of the military” and specifically transgender people in the armed forces.

After initially saying “no one cares” if someone in their “team” is trans, McChrystal was forced to backpedal after some prompting by Maher, who doesn’t share his “everything is lollipops and rainbows” view of the military.

Watch:

General McChrystal initially claims that ‘no one cares’ if there are transgenders in the military, then backs off that claim when pressed by Bill Maher:
McChrystal: “If someone is transgender, no one cares. They want to get the job done right.”
Bill Maher: “This is exactly why… pic.twitter.com/GhACoY7crO

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) May 17, 2025

“If someone is transgender, no one cares; they want to get the job done right. And so we sometimes make it two-dimensional in the idea that you’ve got to be a certain profile to be a warrior, and I just have a different view of the military than [Defense] Secretary Hegseth does in that regard,” McChrystal said. “I think we’re about what best defends us, and I think what best defends us is everybody.”

The audience applauded, but Maher wasn’t so quick to accept the platitudes McChrystal had to offer.

“But I’m gonna say this is exactly why these guys wanted to take over. First of all, I do find it hard to believe that nobody in the military has a problem with trans people in the military, is that what you’re saying?” Maher grilled.

“No I certainly would never speak for everyone in the military. I’m sure some do,” the retired general replied.

“I mean it’s the same thing as what goes on in women’s locker rooms. There are some places people just don’t want a penis. I don’t trust a penis no matter who has it,” Maher joked, prompting laughter from the audience. “It’s just not a trustworthy organ.”

He went on to quote Hegseth’s desire to restore the “warrior ethos” to the United States military.

“Somehow, this is in conflict with wokeness. So you don’t see that as a problem at all? When you were there, there was nothing you’d describe as ‘too woke’?”

“Well there are always superficial things that, even at the time, caused me to roll my eyes a little bit. But the reality is there was a great servicemember on TV the other day who said ‘we’re too strong to participate in sports, and yet we’re not strong enough to be in the military’ and that’s the basic contradiction here,” McChrystal said. “I think anyone who has the desire to serve their nation, to put their life on the line, to bring their talents, I’ve just never heard a discussion about transgender when I was in. In fact there was a big argument about women in combat and there was a certain percentage of the force that was against it. And the thing that became kind of funny about it, they were still arguing about it ten years after women were already in combat and doing very well.”

One X user broke down McChrystal’s “basic contradiction” succinctly in a response:

“‘Too strong for sports, not strong enough for military.’ I’m so tired of this strawman. Nobody’s arguing they’re not physically strong. We’re arguing they’re mentally unstable, have a dependence on drugs & a drain to taxpayers when we fork out $100k+ on their cosmetic surgeries only for them to be non deployable,” the user stated.

“Too strong for sports, not strong enough for military”

I’m so tired of this strawman.
Nobody’s arguing they’re not physically strong. We’re arguing they’re mentally unstable, have a dependence on drugs & a drain to taxpayers when we fork out $100k+ on their cosmetic surgeries…

— Logic Illustrated (@LogicIllustrat) May 17, 2025

Others had plenty to say about the retired general’s stance:

Hello. Physical strength is not the same as thriving with their mental health. ‍

— Kokoro-hime (@KokoroHime) May 17, 2025

10 yrs ago Trans was considered a mental disorder. so modern military does not want crazy people serving.

— Hunter Wallace (@MosesWalla87049) May 17, 2025

No, they don’t care about the job. They are using their identity politics to make people walk on eggshells. It’s a controversial thing. And all other aspects follow suit.

— Emily Seal ⚽️ (@EmilySeal6) May 17, 2025

That guy’s been to too many DEI trainings. He actually believes that nonsense.

— Fit American (@fitAmerican60) May 17, 2025

He’s full of it. What about the transgender people who get sex change operations on the taxpayer dime and then can’t perform their duties because of surgery? It’s elective surgery.

— WendylDail (@wendylwilson2) May 17, 2025

Writer/Columnist

Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to BizPac Review.

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