The Army's top enlisted leader says he is steadfast in his commitment to his promise of crafting a more inclusive environment for women as the service has been rocked over a watchdog investigation that reportedly criticizes a senior officer for rebuking attacks on servicewomen.

On Wednesday, Task & Purpose was first to disclose the details of an Inspector General investigation on Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe, an armor officer, that reportedly found his use of Twitter to be inappropriate when he blasted a segment from Fox News' Tucker Carlson attacking the Army for allowing pregnant women to serve, and proceeded to disagree with various commentators on social media. Donahoe intended to retire in July but has been assigned as a special assistant to the Army's Training and Doctrine Command.

"Intentionally or not, this whole thing showed women that we are not worth defending," one noncommissioned officer told Military.com. "If he can get slapped for this, why would anyone defend women in public?"

Army officials haven't decided Donahoe's fate, which could include a reduction in rank. But the launch of the investigation in and of itself was seen as a gut punch to those who have advocated supporting female soldiers. To some, scrutinizing Donahoe's defense of women online is being seen as the service bending the knee to right-wing media.

"Why would any women want to serve now?" an Army general said to Military.com on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation.

"The Army gave a hunting permit to radical partisans. … The Army has gone full MAGA," the general said, referencing former President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, Make America Great Again.

It was in response to that uproar that Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston delivered a message on Twitter on Thursday seemingly subtweeting the swirling controversy.

"Let me be absolutely clear: I stand with our women in uniform," he wrote. "Your Leaders and I will continue to defend our People vigorously and thank you all for choosing to serve in a time where many do not. You are our greatest strength and most strategic advantage."

News of the investigation comes as some of the challenges that have long faced female troops are getting attention and as women, including Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, increasingly take leadership roles.

That includes a series of new efforts designed to boost the quality of life for female soldiers, including a total revamp of parenthood policies, such as making it easier for women to pump breast milk on duty, and relaxing grooming standards to allow them to have ponytails and braids.

Those efforts were largely led by mid-ranking women in the service, a signal that top leaders are listening to their concerns.

The controversy for Donahoe originated in March 2021 when Carlson blasted the Defense Department for efforts to make service more appealing and accommodating to women, such as developing maternity uniforms. That segment served as a flashpoint for right-wing attacks on the military, labeling the armed services as "woke," or so fixated on diversity and inclusion that they had abandoned their warfighting priorities.

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said Monday she is concerned about a public perception that the service's top leadership is partisan following an inspector general investigation of a general who stood up to right-wing criticism of women in the military on Twitter.

Wormuth, who spoke to reporters at an annual Army conference, said the service needs to have a "broad appeal" to attract new recruits and that senior leaders are expected to remain out of polarized politics and use good judgment online.

Public controversy erupted this month after the Army watchdog investigation found Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe's Twitter bouts with Fox News host Tucker Carlson and other right-wing personalities online -- posts defending female troops -- were in poor taste and drew unwanted national attention to the service, according to a copy of the report reviewed by Military.com.

"The key for senior leaders in an environment that is as politicized, unfortunately, as the one that we're all operating in is to exercise good judgment," Wormuth said at the Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington, D.C. "You know, one of the things I think that's most important to [Army Chief Gen. James McConville] and I is the Army being apolitical and keeping it out of the culture wars because, frankly, we have got to be able to have a broad appeal."

Last year during his primetime program, Carlson ridiculed female service members for their "new hairstyles and maternity flights suits," claiming "pregnant women are going to fight our wars."

The segment claiming the U.S. military is becoming feminized dovetailed into a movement on the political right and among some Republican lawmakers claiming the military has become "woke" and is adhering to progressive ideology as it seeks to be more inclusive of women -- who were granted full access to all military roles less than a decade ago -- and minorities.

Carlson's criticism was condemned by the Pentagon spokesman at the time. Other Army leaders also pushed back, including Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, who said on Twitter, "Women lead our most lethal units with character. They will dominate any future battlefield we're called to fight on. Tucker Carlson's words are divisive, don't reflect our values."

Donahoe was investigated by the inspector general after he posted a video of him reenlisting a noncommissioned officer on top of a tank and wrote, "Just a reminder that Tucker Carlson couldn't be more wrong." Investigators said that tweet "exhibited poor judgment" and kicked off subsequent news coverage that "cast the Army in a negative light."