Armed Forces Brewing Company files $50M lawsuit alleging 'coordinated campaign' to destroy brewery

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Hat tip, Wonkette

A Shuttered MAGA Brewery Wants $50 Million from Its Haters in a Lawsuit over Hurt Feelings

The lawsuit alleges that Facebook posts, among other things, conspired to "destroy the company commercially" and are to blame for it closing.

By Jim Vorel | May 20, 2026 | 3:30pm

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Armed Forces Brewing Company files $50M lawsuit alleging 'coordinated campaign' to destroy brewery

Company left Norfolk in 2025 amid community backlash

By: Colter Anstaett
Posted 10:42 AM, May 19, 2026 and last updated 3:54 PM, May 19, 2026

NORFOLK, Va. — Armed Forces Brewing Company is suing multiple people and groups, claiming they ran the company out of town.

The property where the company's Norfolk location used to be had been vacant for about a year as of May 2026. It begs the question, what will happen to the property and, perhaps more importantly, what do nearby businesses want to see to help develop the city's Railroad District?

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As News 3 has reported, Armed Forces Brewing Company opened the Norfolk location in 2024. The company and the brewery received a lot of backlash over comments a company executive made criticizing the Navy for using a drag queen to promote recruitment.

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The lawsuit, which the company announced in a news release Tuesday, names four people and two groups claiming they worked together to destroy the brewery.

In March 2025, the company's CEO announced the Norfolk location would be closing. He cited a "woke mob" as the reason.

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[PurgedVoter]

1. Really tone deaf is what I come away with.

To me, the packaging says, "We are threatening." It does not say, we use the best materials, it's going to be tasty, we are the life of the party or anything else that might make me decide to pick up a few. Lots of other IPA around and a lot of them have a certain quirky appeal. My wild personal speculation is that they are still pandering to the crowd and looking for more investors from an easy pool to fool. Anyone else ever see the movie, "The Producers?" Seem to me like they were trying to go out of business.

We will see if they decide to be more appealing on their next try or if they double down on being unlikable.

[underpants]

2. Stay down the middle. Don't identify yourself or cut off part of the market

It’s Facebook, it’s totally open to public comment unless you have a closed group but how does that help with marketing?

$50M for a brew house restaurant?

[Phoenix61]

3. What a snow flake. nt

[Grins]

4. As I recall, this is the same brewery that got hammered when Trump ...

…raised the tariffs on Canadian aluminum. More than shitty beer and a worse message, it was the hard reality of dollars and cents that hit them.

[slightlv]

5. Reap what you sow! /nt

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. Well, waah. (n/t)