For much of the year, Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s position was indefensible but consistent. In the wake of Roe v. Wade’s demise, the Pentagon created a travel-reimbursement policy for servicemembers who needed to travel for reproductive health care.
The Alabama Republican insisted that the policy is “illegal” (it’s not), and further argued that the Defense Department was paying for abortions (which was also untrue). The result was a radical tactic: For the first time in American history, a senator imposed a blanket hold that made it effectively impossible for the Senate to confirm U.S. military promotions. Under normal circumstances, members would effortlessly and unanimously approve these nominees as a group, but thanks to Tuberville, they couldn’t be approved at all.
The right-wing coach-turned-politician made his position clear: The military nominees — who have broad, bipartisan support — could advance just as soon as the Pentagon eliminates these benefits for servicemembers and aligns military policies with his regressive beliefs. DOD leaders have balked, and the result has been a months-long blockade without precedent.
In recent days, however, Tuberville’s position has started to evolve — and not in a good way.
Last week, the GOP senator said on a conservative podcast, “I don’t care if we promote anybody to be honest. We got 44 four-star generals right now. We only had seven during WWII, so I think we’re a little overloaded to begin with.” In other words, Tuberville tweaked his original position, justifying his blockade by suggesting there’s no real need to promote these decorated military officers, even as officials in his own country’s armed forces issued warnings about the adverse consequences the Alabaman has created.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed called Tuberville’s comments “a smoking gun confession.” This week, the proverbial gun fired a second shot. A Politico reporter noted online this morning:
Sen. Tuberville takes a new approach to defending his hold on military nominations by emailing out this thread personally attacking individual military officers up for promotion.
A Punchbowl News reporter added, “If you thought Sen. Tuberville might back off his military promotions blockade any time soon, his office just blasted out this thread highlighting criticisms of the nominees themselves.”
At issue was this social media thread from something called the American Accountability Foundation, claiming that “the media” is trying to hide information about “one of the WOKEST slates of military nominees ever assembled.” What followed was 13 missives, slamming decorated U.S. military officers for, among other things, supporting “diversity, equity and inclusion” in the armed forces. When the American Accountability Foundation created a follow-up thread, criticizing U.S. military leaders who applauded diversity among the ranks, Tuberville directly endorsed the thread, condemning “liberal and woke policies.” The right-wing senator’s position, in other words, is now fundamentally different. For the better part of 2023, the Alabama Republican said his principal concern was about travel reimbursements, not the career military leaders who’ve devoted their adult lives to service. Now, Tuberville is also taking rhetorical aim at the military leaders themselves. If other Senate Republicans have a problem with their colleague’s offensive, now would be an excellent time for them to say so.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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