More governors rally to resist Pentagon vaccine mandate over National Guard troops

Republican governors increasingly are resisting a Pentagon-issued COVID-19 vaccine mandate that seven state leaders now say cannot be imposed on their National Guard troops.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is the latest state executive to tell the Pentagon that it does not have the authority to impose the controversial mandate on state-controlled troops. Others include Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts - along with the first to rebel, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.  

Five governors wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin this month, telling him that Pentagon threats to punish non-compliant National Guard troops are "beyond your constitutional and statutory authority."

Austin stirred controversy throughout the military when he announced in August that all members of the U.S. armed forces must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Austin assigned each military service to set its own cutoffs for compliance. The furthest deadline was set by the Army National Guard and Reserve, imposing a June 30 deadline.