U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) is being widely criticized for his comments on White nationalists in a recent CNN interview. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) responded, saying there is no place for White nationalists in the military or the country.
“White supremacy is simply unacceptable in the military and in our whole country,” McConnell told reporters.
The number two Republican in the Senate, Minority Whip John Thune (South Dakota), said there’s no room for white nationalists in the GOP or the military.
“I just think there isn’t any place for it,’ Thune said. “We are a country obviously that has built around a set of principles that’s welcoming.”
“Ethnic nationalism is un-American, and I think it would be problematic in the military,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida). “My definition of a White nationalist is someone that believes that America belongs to white people. That’s not American, that’s un-American, and that would be a problem in the military,”
“White supremacy and racism have absolutely no place in our country. Period. The end,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) told reporters.
This controversy began during an NPR interview in Alabama when Tuberville was asked if White nationalists should be able to serve in the military.
“Well, they call them that. I call them Americans,” Tuberville answered.
Tuberville followed those comments with an interview Monday on CNN.
CNN host Kaitlan Collins said a White nationalist is “someone who believes that the white race is superior to other races.”
“Well, that’s some people’s opinion,” Tuberville responded. “My opinion of a White nationalist, if someone wants to call them a White nationalist, to me, is an American. It’s an American. Now, if that White nationalist is a racist, I’m totally against anything that they want to do because I am 110 percent against racism.”
Tuberville said White nationalism is “just a cover word for the Democrats now where they can use it to try to make people mad across the country.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) chastised Tuberville for his opinion, “The senator from Alabama is wrong, wrong, wrong. The definition of White nationalism is not a matter of opinion.
“For the Senator from Alabama to obscure the racist nature of white nationalism is indeed very, very dangerous,” Schumer said. “He is fanning the flames of bigotry and intolerance.”
“I don’t think Senator Tuberville is in any way racist,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) when asked about Tuberville.
“I am totally against anything racist,” Tuberville emphasized. “My opinion of a White nationalist, if you want to call them that, is an American.”
Tuberville chastised Democrats for dividing this country and making it weaker.
This is not the first gaffe that Tuberville has made on the national stage. Tuberville was criticized in October when he seemed to be saying those Americans who want reparations for slavery are responsible for committing crimes.
“They’re not soft on crime. They’re pro-crime. They want crime,” Tuberville said of Democrats. “They want crime because they want to take over what you got. They want to control what you have. They want reparations because they think the people that do the crime are owed that. Bulls**t. They are not owed that.”
Tuberville was in Nevada campaigning for GOP Senate candidate Adam Laxalt. Laxalt lost to incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto 48.9 to 48.0% a month later.
Tuberville has also been widely criticized for his hold on military promotions over the Pentagon’s controversial abortion policy. Tuberville has refused to vote yes on unanimous consent to the promotions over his opposition to the Biden administration’s efforts to thwart pro-life state laws for military members and their families.
Despite the criticism from Washington, the Hill reports that Tuberville remains overwhelmingly popular in Alabama, with a commanding majority of Alabamians holding favorable views of the senior Senator from Alabama.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
