January 21, 2026
Back to all stories

Two Former Officers Fired Under Trump Launch Democratic House Bids

A retired U.S. Space Force colonel pushed out under President Trump’s transgender service ban and a three‑star Navy admiral removed in a leadership purge have each launched Democratic campaigns for the U.S. House, explicitly tying their runs to their ousters. Bree Fram, a 23‑year officer whose career ended in December, announced a bid in Northern Virginia and says she will run in whatever district covers her Reston home after court‑ordered redistricting; under current lines that’s VA‑11, held by Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw. Fram’s launch video says Trump 'fired me, not because of my performance but because of who I am,' framing her candidacy as a defense of constitutional oaths and government that doesn’t target its own people. In South Carolina’s 1st District, former Navy Reserve chief and helicopter pilot Nancy Lacore, removed last August in a purge overseen by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, entered the crowded race to replace GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, saying she was taken out 'without cause' but is 'not done serving.' Their bids highlight how Trump’s military personnel decisions, including the transgender ban and senior-officer shake‑ups, are now feeding directly into the 2026 midterm landscape as former officers seek to challenge his agenda from Congress.

2026 Congressional Elections U.S. Military and Veterans in Politics Transgenderism/Transexualism

📌 Key Facts

  • Bree Fram, a retired U.S. Space Force colonel removed under Trump’s transgender service ban, announced a Democratic House campaign in Northern Virginia and currently lives in Reston, in VA‑11.
  • Nancy Lacore, a retired three‑star admiral and former chief of the Navy Reserve, says she was removed 'without cause' in an August 2025 leadership purge run by War Secretary Pete Hegseth and is now running as a Democrat in South Carolina’s 1st District.
  • VA‑11 is presently represented by Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw, while SC‑1 is an open, right‑leaning coastal seat vacated by GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor.
  • Both candidates’ launch videos explicitly link their dismissals under Trump‑era policies to their decisions to seek office, framing their campaigns as continuations of their oaths to the Constitution.

📰 Source Timeline (1)

Follow how coverage of this story developed over time