Ex-Trump defense secretary urges Schumer to bypass Tuberville’s hold on Joint Chiefs.
Former Secretary of Defense Warns Against Playing Politics with Military Promotions
Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has issued a stern warning to both Democrats and Republicans, urging them not to play politics with the current hold on military promotions and nominations for senior defense positions.
The Marines are currently being led by an acting commandant, while the chief of staff of the Army, chief naval officer, and Air Force chief of staff will all leave their positions in the next three months. However, their confirmations are at risk due to a hold placed by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) in protest of the Department of Defense’s abortion policy.
Senator Tuberville’s Hold on Promotions and Confirmations
Senator Tuberville has held up approximately 300 promotions or confirmations in the past six months by denying Democrats the ability to pass batches of nominations at once. This tactic has caused significant delays and increased the complexity of the confirmation process.
While Esper acknowledges Tuberville’s right to put a hold on military nominations, he emphasizes the importance of voting on the Joint Staff nominees individually to ensure continuity. He urges Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to bring these nominations to the Senate floor for individual votes.
“I think Sen. Schumer needs to not play politics with the issue either and bring up votes for at least the Joint Chiefs of Staff because, again, you’re going to have several of them coming up,” Esper explained. “They should get votes. There’s no reason why there can’t be votes in the Senate now on people who are pending, and so I would argue that while the bigger issue of the larger number of held-up nominees is worked through, we at least get confirmed these very important members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Failure to confirm the successors before the current military leaders leave their positions could result in acting leaders making crucial decisions without the full authority and empowerment of their office. This situation raises concerns about the future of their service and the advice they provide.
Schumer’s Response and Tuberville’s Contention
Schumer does not seem inclined to follow Esper’s suggestion. He places the responsibility on the Republican Senate Caucus, stating that it is up to them to address Tuberville’s hold on nominations.
Tuberville’s contention stems from the Department of Defense’s policy in response to the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. The policy allows for paid leave and reimbursement of travel expenses for service members or dependents who need to travel out of state for an abortion or other reproductive healthcare.
Tuberville argues that this policy violates the intent of federal law, which only permits abortions in specific circumstances. He believes it represents a significant policy shift and potentially breaks the law.
“He has alleged that it’s breaking the law, and if it’s not breaking the law, he certainly believes that it’s a major policy shift,” Esper added. “So, I don’t discount the seriousness of the issue. I don’t believe in putting an en bloc hold on all these promotions is the right way to go about it.”
Esper emphasizes that Tuberville’s hold on promotions casts service members as political pawns and disagrees with this approach.
Despite discussions between Tuberville, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and DOD officials, both sides remain firm in their positions. The Senate has entered its August recess, while the Army chief of staff and Chief of Naval Operations are set to step down in the coming weeks.
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