Top Republican Slams Sen. Tuberville For ‘Paralyzing the Department of Defense’ With Holds on Military Promotions

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, slammed the sweeping holds Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has placed on military promotions, accusing him of “paralyzing” the U.S. military.

McCaul joined CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday, who asked him about the hold. “General Milley, he is retiring as chairman of the Joint Chiefs at the end of the month. His role might not be filled because your fellow Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, is holding up more than 300 military promotions,” Tapper began, adding:

These are not political positions. These are majors and lieutenant colonels and colonels and admirals and generals in the Senate because he opposes to a Pentagon travel reimbursement policy having to do with abortion. Expert after expert military individual after military individual says this is hurting readiness, how long is the Republican Party going to let this one senator do this to our military?

“You know, I just talked to this guy named Dakota who got the Medal of Honor yesterday. This is paralyzing the Department of Defense. You know, the idea that one man in the Senate can hold this up for months, I understand maybe promotions, but nominations is paralyzing the Department of Defense,” the Texas Republican continued, adding:

I think that is a national security problem and a national security issue. And I really wish he would reconsider this because we’re working this issue out in the National Defense Authorization. We worked it out on the House side. We’re going to conference in the Senate. We’re going to work out this, you know, abortion issue.

“But to hold up the top brass from being promoted and lower brass, I think, is paralyzing our Department of Defense,” McCaul repeated as the interview ended.

Watch the clip above via CNN.