Pentagon Won’t Yield on Ending COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate as Senators Threaten Budget

The U.S. Pentagon building in Washington a file photo. Ivan Cholakov/Shutterstock

The Pentagon said it would continue to require that troops get COVID-19 vaccines even as Republican senators threaten to hold up the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) unless the Defense Department ends its vaccine mandate.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder claimed the controversial mandate is needed for U.S. national security purposes.