Kirby says woke policies actually ensure military readiness
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby condemned certain measures in the NDAA for compromising military readiness.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby claimed that the left-wing policies Republican lawmakers condemn are actually essential for military readiness Friday.
The House of Representatives narrowly passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Friday, which Republicans have touted for pushing back against "woke" Pentagon policies. Most Democrats rejected the bill due to hotly debated amendments that would curb the Pentagon’s abortion travel reimbursement policy, transgender medical procedures and Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) programs throughout the military.
"DoD’s strategic advantage in a complex global security environment is the diverse and dynamic talent pool from which we draw," the White House statement of administration policy said in response to the bill earlier this week. "We rely on diverse perspectives, experiences, and skillsets to remain a global leader, deter war, and keep our nation secure."
CNN News Central host Kate Bolduan spoke to Kirby about whether Biden would veto the bill, to which Kirby replied that he did not want to discuss hypothetical scenarios.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned that the policies Republicans pushed against are actually essential for a strong military.
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She then went on to ask, "Do you see the president signing a National Defense Authorization Act that limits transgender rights, that rips out diversity training, and does exactly the opposite of what you said the president supports when it comes to access to reproductive rights?"
Kirby suggested that it would be "very difficult" to imagine Biden signing such legislation, but did not appear to rule it out entirely.
"It’s very difficult to see the president supporting legislation that would make it harder for Americans to serve in uniform and to not be able to do so with dignity, would not be able to do so with the proper care they need, both medical and mental care," he declared. "It’s very difficult to see that the president would ever, ever sign legislation that would put our troops at greater risk or put our readiness at risk."
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks from the White House.
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Bolduan inquired whether the administration would be in a tough position where, if it strikes down such a bill, it would also be striking down the initiatives to provide "pay raises for the military and future investments in military infrastructure."
Kirby noted that Biden will "leave it to members of Congress to decide how they will vote on this for themselves, but, obviously, he’s not going to support amendments, he’s not going to support legislation that will put our readiness or our troops at any greater risk."
New legislation and regulations have emerged in recent years as the military has been scrutinized for far-left leadership and initiatives. A policy was recently rolled out by the Pentagon aimed at banning drag shows on military installations, leading to military installations having to cancel drag shows that had been planned to celebrate Pride Month in June. The U.S. Navy in particular recently made headlines when it platformed a "drag queen influencer" to attract new recruits.
Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.