Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) criticized Air Force Gen. Charles Brown, Jr., President Joe Biden’s nominee as the next Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, over his support for the military’s diversity efforts.

Tuberville made the comments after being asked in an interview on Wednesday if he thought Brown was qualified for the Joint Chiefs role. The first-term senator has been embroiled in conflict with the White House for months over his hold on senior military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion policy and has said the hold would apply to Brown’s nomination.

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“Well, I like CQ, I've had him in my office several times. I thought he did a pretty good job in terms of being the deputy and not the chief,” Tuberville said of Brown. “I did not like his statement about color or race or anything like that. Listen, the military is not an equal opportunity employer. It shouldn't be. It never should be. It should be about taking the people that want to protect and defend the United States of America.

“I don't care if we have 100% black pilots in the Air Force,” he continued. “I want the best people that can win. There is no second place in war. It is first place only and we need the best people.”

Brown, who made history as the first black man to lead any branch of the U.S. military, has been an outspoken advocate for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the armed forces. The advocacy has made him a target for some conservative groups since Biden announced his nomination.

"All of us have to seek out those diverse candidates to bring them in. And that's what we're trying to do in the Air Force," the general said in a 2020 interview with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "You've almost got to purposely manage some of this. You can't let it — if you do it by happenstance, we won't change."

Tuberville’s hold has blocked the nominations of nearly 300 general and flag officers over the policy, which covers travel costs and time off for service members who must travel out of state to receive an abortion due to restrictive laws.

Brown's nomination, announced in May, has been met with bipartisan support. This includes a positive reaction from the Alabama senator, whose spokesman said at the time that Tuberville "has a great deal of respect for" the Air Force general. Respect and admiration have not been enough to convince the senator to change course, however, with his spokesman telling the Washington Examiner that "the hold applies to all two-stars and above."

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Whether Tuberville plans to support Brown once his nomination eventually comes to a vote remains unclear.

DOD nominees that require Senate confirmation are typically approved in batches, usually without objection, to avoid a severely prolonged process. While Tuberville lacks the power to permanently block the nominees, he can significantly delay their confirmations. The first-term senator has vowed to continue his effort until the Pentagon reverses its policy.