Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) praised President Donald Trump's recent reinstatement of military servicemembers discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine in a recent appearance on Fox and Friends First, calling it "a great day for patriots."
Via an executive order, the approximately 8,000 servicemembers discharged for refusing the vaccine and want to return to service will retain their rank and receive full back pay and benefits.
In addition to saying it is "a great day for patriots," Rep. Mast reminded viewers that "it was not just the military. It was other government agencies as well where they were washing, essentially, conservatives that were raising their hands and saying, 'Hey, I do not want to take this vaccine."
More egregiously, Rep. Mast insinuated the discharged servicemembers were also denied promotions and were instead going to members who said, "I am okay with everything that you are doing right now."
The host further commented that the reinstatement will aid with recruiting and "will not hurt," to which the Florida Congressman said, "It is going to be beautiful having these individuals returning, putting on that uniform, that sense of pride for their family that they stood up for their causes, what they believed in, and were rewarded for it."
Mast introduced legislation in January 2023 to reinstate the 8,000 servicemembers discharged for not taking the vaccine. This would have provided the same benefits of back pay and retaining rank.
"There are thousands of people who have been harmed by Joe Biden's big government edict, but this bill is about more than just righting that wrong; it's about military readiness. We need to get these men and women back in uniform and back doing the job they were trained to do: protecting our nation," Mast said.
In July 2023, Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced his own bill for reinstating the 8,000 discharged as an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which also included amendments defunding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the military and banning designated state sponsors of terrorism from buying American real estate.
