Ron DeSantis backs Tommy Tuberville in ongoing skirmish with Senate

Image via NBC News

Gov. Ron DeSantis is not backing down in support of U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville when it comes to putting a pause on confirming military officers.

“We’re trying to force a change in Pentagon policy to conform them to the law,” the Governor said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

On Wednesday, the Alabama Senator came under fire from multiple GOP Senators over putting holds on nearly 400 military officers, a procedural move that now looks critical in light of increased tensions in the Middle East and other potentially hot theaters of American concern globally. One critic, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, called Tuberville’s position a “national security suicide mission.”

DeSantis believes “fighting back on the Pentagon going outside the boundaries of the law” regarding what he calls “abortion tourism,” saying it’s part of “Congress’ appropriate role for oversight and checks and balances.”

The Governor has supported Tuberville’s increasingly lonely stance for months now.

During a July interview with Hugh Hewitt, the Florida Governor and presidential candidate sided with Tuberville, who has blocked hundreds of promotions over the Department of Defense’s (DOD) abortion policy, telling Hewitt that those holds should not be removed.

“What the military’s policy is, is not following U.S. law. They are using tax dollars. They are funding abortion tourism, which is not an appropriate thing for the military to be doing. So I think our Republicans in the Congress should just take a stand on this. The DOD should stand down,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis and Tuberville object to a federal policy protecting uniformity in reproductive rights for service members.

Earlier this year, the DOD rolled out a policy that “provides Service members the time and flexibility to make private health care decisions while accounting for the responsibility placed on commanders to meet operational requirements and protect the health and safety of those in their care.”

“Our Service members and their families do not control where they are stationed, and due to the nature of military service, are frequently required to travel or move to meet operational requirements,” the Pentagon said in February.

“The efforts taken by the Department today will not only ensure that Service members and their families are afforded time and flexibility to make private health care decisions but will also ensure Service members are able to access non-covered reproductive health care regardless of where they are stationed.”

Political opponents have pounced on DeSantis’ position, including Nikki Fried, who offered withering criticism in her capacity as Chair of the Florida Democratic Party.

“How can Ron DeSantis call himself a patriot? His weaponization of the State Guard, unfounded attacks on the so-called ‘woke’ military, and recent support for Sen. Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions and nominations are a threat to national security and military readiness,” Fried asserted.

“Yet again, Ron is being Ron by showing us that he’s willing to put his political ambitions ahead of our veterans and Americans on the front lines.”