Joe Scarborough Blasts Sen. Tuberville’s ‘Dumbest’ Remarks on U.S. Military Strength

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough took Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville to task following Tuberville’s disparaging comments about the U.S. military during a Veterans Day appearance on Fox News. Tuberville, in his discussion with host Laura Ingraham, claimed that the U.S. military was an “absolute disaster” and suggested that President-elect Donald Trump would need to “rebuild and restructure” it. Tuberville even stated, “We couldn’t beat anyone right now.”

Scarborough, host of Morning Joe, did not hold back his criticism. “That is just the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Scarborough said, clearly incensed. “I can’t say it’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard in my life because I’ve heard a lot of dumb things coming out of Washington, D.C., before, but our military is stronger, relative to the rest of the world than any time since World War II.”

Scarborough, highlighting his disbelief, suggested Tuberville’s remarks were not only misinformed but also disrespectful to the service members honored on Veterans Day. Scarborough went on to underscore America’s global military dominance, noting that foreign leaders, defense officials, and ambassadors frequently express their respect and even awe for the strength of the U.S. military. “Our military is feared around the world because of our massive, massive military advantage, and our massive technological advantage, and our massive advantage as far as the men and women who wear the uniform,” Scarborough asserted.

He further emphasized, “I have no idea why anybody would be disrespectful of our men and women in uniform on Veterans Day in any case, but especially in this case when our military is as powerful as it is.” Washington Post columnist David Ignatius echoed Scarborough’s sentiment, disagreeing with Tuberville’s assessment of the military. Ignatius noted that Tuberville, who had led a prolonged blockade of military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion policy, was simply “wrong.”

Ignatius remarked, “On Veterans Day, it is a perfect time to remember just how overwhelmingly dominant the U.S. military is around the world.” Ignatius, who has spent time embedded with U.S. military personnel, commented on their high level of training, command, and control, and the significant progress being made as the military adapts to modern technologies.

To further underline his perspective, Ignatius pointed to recent national security announcements concerning Trump’s Cabinet picks, which he believes should reassure those worried about the stability of U.S. military leadership. “These are people who know the military well and have deep confidence in it,” he said. “If one of the fears that people had the last couple of weeks was Trump might radically disrupt the military, might undermine the command and control structure the way he tried to do at the end of his first term, I think those fears ought to be lessened.”

Ignatius specifically highlighted the credentials of Trump’s Cabinet nominees, pointing to figures like Mike Waltz, a former special operations officer, and Senator Marco Rubio, who has long served on the Senate Intelligence Committee alongside Democrat Mark Warner. “These are people who are not going to go out hammering and attack the basic institutions that keep our country safe,” Ignatius concluded, expressing confidence that Trump’s choices would protect the military’s integrity rather than criticize or undermine it.

Both Scarborough and Ignatius’ remarks underscore their shared belief in the strength and significance of the U.S. military, directly opposing Tuberville’s critique. On a day meant to honor service members, their voices emphasized both the power and respect the American military commands worldwide—a sentiment seemingly lost on Tuberville in his controversial statements.