John Kirby Slams Tuberville’s Opposition to Top Military Nominee: ‘He’s Just Flat-Out Wrong’
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby staunchly defended the U.S. military’s record on inclusion, saying Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is “just flat-out wrong” with his assessment of Gen. Charles Q. Brown.
Brown assumed the role of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after Gen. Mark Milley retired Friday. CNN’s Brianna Keilar played video of Tuberville explaining why he voted against Brown’s confirmation:
I heard some things that [Brown] talked about, about race and things that he wanted to mix into the military. Let me tell you something. Our military is not an equal-opportunity employer. We’re looking for the best of the best to do whatever. We’re not looking for different groups, social justice groups. We don’t want to single-handedly destroy our military from within. We all need to be one.
“Let me tell you something,” Kirby said, echoing Tuberville, before continuing:
The United States Department of Defense, the military, is, and appropriately is, an equal opportunity employer because, it’s because of that diversity, it is because we provide equal opportunities for all Americans to serve their country and defend this country that we are better at doing it.
I have been in many commands at sea and ashore, where the diversity of the command itself made it better. It brings new perspectives and fresh perspectives to the decision-making process. You drive innovation that way, and you do a better job of representing your nation to the rest of the world.
So, I strongly push back on this idea that we’re not, that the military is not an equal opportunity employer. It absolutely is It should be. It makes you a better, stronger military. He’s just flat-out wrong.
Tuberville has a history of making racially-charged comments, most recently in defense of white nationalists. In addition, Tuberville has been holding up hundreds of military nominations and promotions in a bid to force the DOD to change its abortion policy, which reimburses travel expenses of members who travel out of state to obtain the procedure when it is banned in the state they are stationed in.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
