[Just The News] The U.S. Special Operations Command is investigating social media posts from its newly hired executive who spread anti-Donald Trump memes and compared the former president to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, a spokesperson told Just the News.One picture, a thousand words.
"We are aware of the situation, and the command has initiated an investigation," Special Operations Command spokesman Ken McGraw wrote in a Sunday email.
The executive, Richard Torres-Estrada, recently was hired to be the first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the vast Tampa, Florida-based command, known as SOCOM.
"Mr. Torres-Estrada has nearly two decades worth of experience working diversity and inclusion programs and activities in federal agencies," SOCOM managers announced Friday on Facebook and Instagram. Noting that the new position dovetails with an overall plan for the command, the managers wrote: "We look forward to Mr. Torres-Estrada’s contribution in enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of #SOF through diversity of talent, helping us recruit the best of the best."
Media sleuths quickly found, though, that Torres-Estrada had shared a number of political posts some considered to be non-inclusive.
One meme on a Facebook page that appears to belong to Torres-Estrada features a photograph of a saluting Hitler juxtaposed with a photo of Trump holding up a Bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Another meme is a photo of Trump surrounded by quotes attributed to former advisers calling Trump "an idiot," "a dope," and "a moron."
Another meme purports to be a "missing" poster for Sen. Ted Cruz, describing him as having "weird" facial hair and as having left his state "in the middle of a natural disaster."