Texas Governor Greg Abbott is refusing to enforce President Biden’s federal employee vaccine mandate.

Background: President Biden enacted a vaccine mandate for federal contractors but was met with intense pushback.

Ultimately multiple states sued Biden over the authoritative mandate and a federal court issued a temporary stay on the order.

On Wednesday, an appeals court revived the vaccine mandate in 26 states arguing that only the states that initially sued Biden could pause the mandate.

What Happened: Governor Abbott sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying Texas would not force National Guard members to receive the Covid-19 vaccine against their will.

“As Governor of Texas, I am the commander-in-chief of this State’s militia,” reads the letter. “In that capacity, on October 4, 2021, I ordered the Adjutant General of Texas to comply with my Executive Order GA-39. If unvaccinated guardsmen suffer any adverse consequences within the State of Texas, they will have only President Biden and his Administration to blame. The State of Texas will not enforce this latest COVID-19 vaccine mandate against its guardsmen. If the federal government keeps threatening to defund the Texas National Guard, I will deploy every legal tool available to me as Governor in defense of these American heroes.”