Ted Cruz Calls For Action Against U.S. Merchant Marine Director Over Racist Tweets, Raises Concerns About Cadet Safety

Cruz sent a letter to USMMA Superintendent Joanna Nunan expressing concern about the academy's commitment to cadet safety and its overall culture.

Cruz acknowledged the important role of the USMMA in training future military officers and mariners, stating that he is proud to have recommended many Texans for appointment to the academy. He emphasized that these cadets deserve a safe environment to study, learn, and train.

June 30, 2023

Cruz described Tripolskii's remarks as offensive and potentially racist, raising doubts about the SAPR office's ability to promote an environment free from sexual misconduct for all cadets. He also questioned the USMMA's hiring process, noting the academy's history of struggling with issues of sexual assault and harassment.

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According to USMMA's annual reports on sexual assault and harassment, there were 69 cases of sexual assault reported between 2012 and 2023. Of these cases, eight involved male victims, accounting for over one-fifth of all reported cases in the past five years.

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Cruz highlighted that the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act mandated the USMMA to have a full-time SAPR coordinator under the watch of the program director. However, there have been significant gaps in fulfilling this requirement, including an eight-month period in 2019 when there was no SAPR coordinator at the academy.

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Given the crucial role of the SAPR office in ensuring cadet safety, Cruz stressed the importance of recruiting, vetting, and hiring staff who can effectively advance the office's mission. He pointed out that Tripolskii's public statements indicate racial and gender bias, citing a tweet from June 6, 2020, where Tripolskii claimed that forces in America don't do right by survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence because they abuse Brown and Black people.

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Cruz criticized Tripolskii's statements as both bigoted and objectively false, stating that it is empirically inaccurate to claim that misogyny and racism are solely perpetuated by white males. He expressed concern that cadets who fall into these categories may not believe they would be treated fairly by Tripolskii.

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The senator also highlighted previous cases of sexual assault and harassment at the academy, involving both male and female cadets. He argued that Tripolskii's discriminatory statements may make some cadets less likely to trust the SAPR office, report incidents, and seek assistance.

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Cruz raised the possibility that Tripolskii's personal views could prejudice investigations, potentially allowing criminals to evade justice. He emphasized that mishandling an investigation or discouraging cadets from reporting assaults would jeopardize the safety of all cadets at USMMA.

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In his letter to Nunan, Cruz posed several questions, including whether the academy teaches cadets that misogyny and racism are the fault of a single racial group and whether Tripolskii has faced any disciplinary action for his public statements.