Former Vice President Mike Pence told a NewsNation town hall Wednesday night that he supports Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) blocking of hundreds of military nominations and promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion access policy, Fox News reported.

“I commend Sen. Tuberville, and rather than asking him to stand down, I’d ask the Pentagon to stand down,” Pence said. “I promise you, if I’m President of the United States, we’re going to get all this woke business out of the Pentagon.”

The Hill reported Wednesday that Tuberville is getting more pressure from Senate Republicans.

“I think holding these non-policymaking career military [officials] who can’t be involved in politics at all is a mistake, and we continue to work on that, and I hope at some point we can get it clear,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said.

Puerto Rico National Guard photo by Sgt. Alexis Vélez