‘So Stupid’: Joe Scarborough Taunts Pete Hegseth After Vaccine Mandate Reversal Amid Flu Outbreak

MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough kicked off Wednesday’s Morning Joe with a hit on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over a vaccine requirement reversal amid a flu outbreak at a San Antonio base.

Morning Joe began with some clips of President Donald Trump discussing ongoing peace negotiations with Iran and then Mika Brzezinski teased some upcoming stories, including the flu outbreak, but Scarborough couldn’t wait to comment, calling Hegseth’s decision clearly “stupid” in light of the latest news.

“Plus, we’ll go through the Pentagon reversing its optional vaccine policy after a major outbreak at an air force base in Texas,” Brzezinski said.

“That didn’t last long, did it, Pete?” Scarborough said, looking at the camera.

“No, not very long at all,” Brzezinski said.

“Some ideas are so stupid that even they have to reverse them,” Scarborough added.

ABC News reported on the ongoing flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, where new recruits are trained. The outbreak reportedly began just weeks after Hegseth announced that a flu shot mandate in place since 1945 was done and the decision would now be optional and up to individual service members.

Following this decision, ABC News reported on more than 150 cases of the flu at the base, which includes some hospitalizations. The number reportedly grew to 222 recruits this week. Pentagon officials now say there are exceptions to the optional rule being implemented, including requiring all recruits to get their flu shots.

Brzezinski reported later on other exceptions included in the “reversal:”

With more than 200 recruits sick with the flu, the Army, Navy and Air Force once again are requiring flu shots for basic trainees. Don’t know why we had to learn this lesson. That’s according to officials who spoke with ABC News. It comes just two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the annual flu shot optional for troops, according to the report. The army is preparing in the coming weeks to broaden that requirement to troops deploying overseas, first responders, child care workers, health care personnel, prison staff, and soldiers taking part in certain large scale training exercises.

Watch above via MS NOW.

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