Alabama Senate Candidate Roy Moore: ‘I Believe in a Strong Military’

Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore said Thursday during a debate against rival Luther Strange that he backed President Trump’s decision to end transgender individuals serving in the military.

“I said [it] even before he said it. I agree very much with him on that,” said Moore, who is facing a run-off election next Tuesday with Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL) for the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

“I want a good military. I believe in a strong military,” said Moore, a Vietnam veteran and West Point graduate.

“I don’t want one that’s just this ‘feel-good thing’ about inclusiveness and things like this,” said the former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice.

Moore said he has one son serving in the National Guard and the other attending his second year at West Point.

Moore said he also backed military spending in the state of Alabama.

He said he has been down to Mobile, Alabama, where Austal Ltd. builds the Littoral Combat Ship.

“I’ve been down there to visit, I’ve talked with them about that. It’s a very good program, and we’ve very proud that Alabama can have a place where they build these things,” Moore said.

Moore also noted another defense firm, Strategic Defense Solutions in Huntsville, Alabama, that works on rocket and space technology that rivals Houston.

“We’re very proud of Alabama and the technology we have here, and I will fully support giving things to this state to make our military more secure,” Moore said.

Moore also noted that Congress has the responsibility to declare war, and his military experience would inform his decision.

“Who do you want to declare war? Someone who’s been there and knows that, have done that, it’s very important,” he said. “I know what it feels like to go to war. It means to leave your family behind.”

Moore’s opponent, Strange, recently voted in the Senate to delay a vote on an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that would have repealed Congress’s 2001 and 2002 authorizations for military force and force Congress to debate current wars.