WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is placing holds on five specific military officers whose promotions are before the chamber just days after Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama ended his monthslong blockade of nominations.
According to NewsNation sources, Schmitt takes exception to the five officers’ stances on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Schmitt’s hold on the nominations comes on the heels of U.S. Air Force Col. Ben Jonsson’s op-ed in the Air Force Times entitled “Dear white colonel … we must address our blind spots around race.”
In the piece, Jonsson makes the case for addressing “racial injustice in our Air Force.”
According to NewsNation sources, Schmitt found the piece objectionable.
“We are largely blind to institutional racism, and we take offense to any suggestion that our system advantaged us at the expense of others,” wrote Jonsson.
Schmitt’s press secretary addressed the holds in a statement to NewsNation.
“Senator Schmitt has placed a hold on a handful of promotions relating to concerns that he has regarding those nominees’ stances or actions relating to divisive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the military. Senator Schmitt has long been an advocate for eradicating these DEI programs, and hopes to resolve these issues to ensure that these divisive DEI program don’t continue to drive a wedge between military members and deepen the already existing recruiting crisis.”
On Tuesday, the Senate approved about 425 military promotions after Tuberville of Alabama ended a monthslong blockade of nominations over his opposition to a Pentagon abortion policy.