Biden NSC Spox LOSES It on Reporter Asking Why Military Doesn’t Just Cave In To Republican Senator On Abortion Policy

NSC spokesman John Kirby lost it on EWTN White House correspondent Owen Jensen when the reporter asked why the military doesn’t just “take back” an abortion policy to mollify Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

Tuberville  — also known for spent several days refusing to admit that White Nationalists are racist — is blocking military confirmations over abortion policy in the military.

Kirby joined White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at Tuesday’s White House press briefing, during which Jensen claimed the policy is “illegal” and asked Kirby why the DOD doesn’t just grease the confirmation skids by “taking back” the policy and figuring it out later.

Kirby was not amenable to the suggestion:

OWEN JENSEN: Good — good afternoon, Admiral. The — I want to ask you about Tuberville. Tuber- — the continued Tuberville hold on military promotions at the Pentagon.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah.

OWEN JENSEN: He says, quote, “As long as the Pentagon keeps the unlawful elective abortion policy in place, my holds will remain.” End quote. That said, will the Pentagon rescind that policy to move those nominations through?

MR. KIRBY: I don’t speak for the Pentagon anymore. I’m a — I’m here now. So, I’d refer you, certainly, to my — my Pentagon colleagues.

That said, they have spoken to this many times. First of all, the senator is just wrong. It’s not an unlawful policy. It’s perfectly legal, perfectly in keeping with the law.

OWEN JENSEN: He says it violates the Hyde Amendment.

MR. KIRBY: It doesn’t. They — they’ve done a legal scrub at this at the DOD. It’s just wrong.

I’m not — while I won’t speak for the Pentagon, I’m certainly just not going to let a lie and falsehood live on. It’s not a violation of the law. It is a legal policy.

All that they’re doing is providing some travel ability for female members of the military or their families. They’re stationed in a place where the laws are restricted. They can go get the reproductive care that they deserve, that they have every right to expect from the United States military.

So, I’m sorry, Senator Tuberville is just wrong. The policy is not unlawful.

Now, if he wants to take that up in Congress and pass new legislation, well, certainly, that’s the writ of Congress, but nothing that the Department of Defense or Secretary Austin is doing is unlawful. Nothing.

OWEN JENSEN: If the national security is truly at risk, as the administration says, then isn’t keeping that abortion policy in place, in effect, superseding national security?

MR. KIRBY: How — I’m not sure, I understand —

OWEN JENSEN: Because if you’re not — if you —

MR. KIRBY: — what your question is —

OWEN JENSEN: You want to get the nominations through, right? You take back the policy —

MR. KIRBY: Oh, so you’d —

OWEN JENSEN: — and figure that out later.

MR. KIRBY: So, the suggestion is that we just —

OWEN JENSEN: I’m not suggesting —

MR. KIRBY: — turn our backs.

No, I get it. I didn’t say it was yours.

But the suggestion is, we should just turn our backs on one in five of every — every person in United States military, let alone their family members, just so we can get these — these officers confirmed. That’s the suggestion that I think you’re elucidating.

And that just would be an egregious violation of the covenant that we make — the military makes with the people that sign up and volunteer.

Remember this: They’re volunteers. There’s not conscription. There’s no draft. People volunteer for this. And when they volunteer for that duty, they have every right to expect that they’re going to get the healthcare they need.

And let me tell you something else, a healthy force is a ready force. So, don’t talk to me about national security being impaired.

The one impairing national security is Senator Tuberville — not only because he’s depriving the military of necessary leadership in the field and at sea, but he’s also willing to deprive female members of the military — 20 percent of the force — from necessary healthcare. That — both — is a violation of national security.

OWEN JENSEN: So how does this all end then finally? My last one: How does it all end? How does it all wrap up?

MR. KIRBY: I can’t possibly predict that.

Watch above via The White House.