Sullivan: ‘Extreme’ GOP Defense Bill Mixing Domestic Social Debates with National Security

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during Sunday’s broadcast of CNN’s “State of the Union” criticized “extreme Republicans” for mixing “domestic social debates with the National Defense Authorization Act.

Anchor Jake Tapper said, “This national defense bill would eliminate funding for service members, travel to states where abortion is legal, block coverage for transgender health procedures and eliminate military diversity offices. Would President Biden veto this legislation as is?”

Sullivan said, “Well, this legislation is never getting to the president’s desk. Because what you have seen from an extreme group of Republicans is to put forward a set of amendments that try to mix domestic social debates with the needs, the security needs of our nation.”

He added, “At the end of the day, this Defense Authorization Act, Jake, from my perspective, is really about a bipartisan exercise in defending America, defending Americans’ national security. And historically, year over year an you have seen the Defense Authorization Act pass with overwhelmingly bipartisan majorities. We should not walk away from that. This should be an area where politics stops and national security starts. We believe at the end of the day, after the Senate has done its work and come back together with the House we will end up in a place where there is a broad bipartisan bill that can go to the president’s desk that he can sign. That is what is necessary for our men and women in uniform and to keep faith with the American people, our fundamental duty to keep them safe.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN