Kirby: Tuberville action proves he’s not trying to keep politics out of military

A top White House spokesperson on Tuesday excoriated Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) over his ongoing opposition to confirming hundreds of Pentagon officials, arguing the senator is injecting politics into the process despite his professed opposition to the politicization of the military.

“The ironic thing for me is he claims he’s trying to keep the politics out of the military,” said John Kirby, a White House spokesperson on national security issues, on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“His very action is politicizing the military because he’s making it about the Pentagon’s policy rules for reproductive care for women service members,” Kirby added.

Tuberville is protesting the Pentagon’s abortion policy because it provides paid leave and reimbursement costs for travel for service members who cross state lines to get an abortion. The senator says it violates the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits using federal funds for abortions.

Tuberville’s hold is affecting leadership posts held by key military officers, prompting concern from the White House, Defense Department, former Defense secretaries under Republican and Democratic administrations and congressional colleagues, all of whom have warned about the harm to national security from the block.

The hold has left the Marine Corps without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years, and it is set to block key nominees on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including the replacement for Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman, who retires in September.

“You’re talking about several hundred officers now that can’t move on to the next job, and — this is important — can’t move on to the next rank,” Kirby said Tuesday.

“When you’re in an acting capacity, while you can do many of the things that a person who is confirmed can do, some of your authorities are limited,” Kirby added. “Some of your ability to maneuver money around and program things are going to be affected by the fact that you’re not Senate confirmed.”