Hundreds of military promotions are on hold as a Republican senator demands end to abortion policy

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., talks with reporters as he walks to a vote on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Top defense officials are accusing Republican Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville of jeopardizing America’s national security with his hold on roughly 300 military promotions, raising the stakes in a clash over abortion policy that shows no signs of easing.

Tuberville brushed off the criticism, vowing he will not give in. “We’re going to be in a holding pattern for a long time,” he said, if the Pentagon refuses to end its policy of paying for travel when a servicemember goes out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care.

It’s a classic Washington standoff with rippling effects across the country, placing the lives of servicemembers effectively on hold as they await what has traditionally been routine Senate approval for their promotions.