Before 'No Kings' rally, ex-Pentagon official warns Trump's anti-trans agenda threatens democracyhttps://www.advocate.com/news/pentagon-official-no-kings-warning 🔗Christopher Wiggins (17 Oct 2025)
Among those scheduled to speak at the main event in Washington is Shawn G. Skelly, a retired Navy commander who served as assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management and later performed the duties of deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness in the Biden-Harris administration. She was the second transgender person ever to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
In a conversation with The Advocate ahead of the No Kings protests, Skelly said the attacks on transgender Americans are not isolated culture war skirmishes but part of a broader strategy to weaken the nation's institutions. "The attacks on transgender Americans are not happening in isolation," she said. "They're a test run for dismantling democracy itself."
"I saw how those systems worked when people respected the boundaries," Skelly said. "There was a rhythm to it — how information moved up the chain, how dissent was handled, how accountability was enforced. You can tell when that rhythm changes, when the flow of truth slows down or gets replaced by fear."
Skelly said watching Trump's second term unfold feels like watching those guardrails give way in real time. "I used to think talk of an American dictatorship was absurd," she said. "Now I see it as plausible, especially when leaders condition citizens to accept incremental encroachments of power."
