President Joe Biden said Thursday that Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is being "irresponsible" and jeopardizing national security by blocking military promotions over his objections to the Defense Department's reproductive health policies.
"I'd be willing to talk to him if I thought there was any possibility he would change position on this. He's jeopardizing US security with what he's doing," Biden said during a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, when asked by CNN about Tuberville's position.
Tuberville has blocked hundreds of military promotions as a way to protest new Pentagon policies on reproductive health care, which among other things included a travel allowance for service members who must go out of state to receive an abortion. As of July 7, Tuberville's hold was impacting 265 senior military officers -- including high-profile roles like the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commandant of the Marine Corps.
An internal assessment put together by the Pentagon and obtained by CNN says the holds affect the families of 84 officers awaiting confirmation, including officers who have paid out of pocket to move their families, military spouses who have left their jobs anticipating new assignments, and children unable to enroll in new schools.
"I don't ever recall that happening, ever. It's just totally irresponsible in my view," Biden said.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
