Ex-Pentagon Chiefs Criticizing Tuberville’s Abortion Protest Support Military-Industrial Complex

Former Defense Secretaries Accused of Ties ⁣to ‍Military-Industrial Complex

Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville has faced criticism from former secretaries of defense for his opposition to President ⁣Biden’s military nominees due to‌ the Pentagon’s abortion ‍policy. However, a conservative⁣ government watchdog group has revealed that these former secretaries have significant connections to America’s military-industrial complex.

In May, seven former Defense secretaries signed a letter condemning Tuberville’s attempt to force individual votes on Biden’s ‍military appointees. ⁣They argued that his protest against the use ‍of taxpayer​ money for service members’ travel expenses for ‌abortions was “irresponsible” and claimed it could politicize military ⁤officers.

The signatories of the letter included James Mattis, Mark Esper, Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta, Robert⁤ Gates,⁤ William ⁢Cohen, and William⁣ Perry.

In​ a thread published ​on X, the‌ American‌ Accountability Foundation (AAF) revealed that these former Defense secretaries now⁢ hold prominent positions with major U.S. defense contractors and ‌related ventures.

For example, Leon Panetta, who served under President Barack Obama, has been a senior counselor for Beacon Global Strategies LLC since 2014. Beacon Global is a strategic advisory firm specializing in defense‌ and homeland security.

Chuck Hagel, another former defense secretary under Obama, is⁣ a ⁣member of the RAND Corporation Board of Trustees. RAND is a nonprofit organization that⁤ conducts research and analysis in various areas, including national security and terrorism.

Even Republican-appointed defense secretaries have become involved in the military-industrial complex. James Mattis, a ​Trump appointee, ⁤now serves on the Board of Directors for General⁤ Dynamics Corporation, a major defense contractor.

Mark Esper, also a Trump nominee and former executive at Raytheon (now RTX), has ties to several defense-related‍ entities. He joined the‌ board of directors of Epirus, a technology company focused on⁢ protecting the​ U.S. warfighter. Esper also serves on the boards of Cobham Advanced Electronics Systems and Red Cell Partners, both involved in developing advanced technologies for defense purposes.

Robert Gates, William Cohen, and William Perry, ⁤who served as defense secretaries under different administrations, were also found to have connections to the military-industrial ‌complex.

Shawn Fleetwood is‌ a staff writer⁤ for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. His work has been‍ featured in various outlets, including RealClearPolitics,‍ RealClearHealth,⁣ and⁣ Conservative‌ Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood