U.S. Army veteran Mike Durant, Republican candidate for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat, on Tuesday slammed the Pentagon’s legal effort to force COVID-19 vaccination upon Navy SEALs.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a lower court order which allowed for the deployment of Navy SEALs who have refused the vaccine for religious reasons.
NBC News reported that Austin, in the emergency court filing, stated that the lower court’s order “usurps the Navy’s authority to decide when servicemembers should be deployed to execute some of the military’s most sensitive and dangerous missions.”
Durant, however, asserted that the Pentagon’s attempt to force vaccination upon Navy SEALs is akin to a “witch hunt.” The Senate candidate stated that the coronavirus’ severity had diluted into a variant that “is no worse than the flu.”
“With Russia, China and Iran threatening America and our allies across the world, Joe Biden’s Pentagon is focused on a witch hunt against members of our military because they won’t get vaccinated against a virus that at this point, is no worse than the flu,” lamented Durant. “These are some of the greatest warriors on Earth, who are in top shape and great health. The Pentagon should focus on ensuring they’re prepared and ready to defend our country, not about forcing vaccine mandates on healthy individuals.”
According to Durant, the Pentagon’s priorities should emphasize readiness rather than mandated COVID-19 vaccination.
“This is the problem with Washington: from the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, career politicians and bureaucrats’ priorities are out of whack,” Durant added. “These men and women signed up to serve our country. Instead of taking them to court over a flu vaccine, the military should focus on readiness issues that matter.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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