Pentagon chief condemns Republian senator for blocking military picks

Lloyd Austin says Tommy Tuberville has created ‘national security issue’ with protest against defense department’s abortion policy

The Alabama Republican senator Tommy Tuberville has created a “national security issue” by blocking military leadership confirmations in protest of Pentagon policy on abortion, the US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, said on Thursday.

“This is a national security issue,” Austin, a retired army general, told CNN. “It’s a readiness issue. And we shouldn’t kid ourselves, I think any member of the Senate armed services committee knows that.”