Marines Without Senate-Confirmed Leader for the First Time in 164 Years
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Marine Corps is without a Senate-confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years as a result of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) blocking Pentagon nominees in protest of a Department of Defense abortion policy.
Why is Tuberville Blocking Nominees? Tuberville is blocking unanimous consent votes in the Senate to confirm, in his own words published in the Washington Post (Lean Left bias), “only those at the very top — generals and flag officers. The people who actually fight are not affected at all.” Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year, the Department of Defense instituted a policy giving paid leave and reimbursement to service members traveling across state lines for an abortion. Tuberville is pushing for the policy to either be removed or enshrined in law, stating, “If Democrats can’t pass legislation to authorize the abortion policy, then it shouldn’t be the policy.”
Details: Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger retired Monday, relinquishing duty without a Senate-approved successor ready to take over. Assistant Commandant Gen. Eric Smith is awaiting Senate confirmation to be promoted to commandant, but will serve as acting commandant in the meantime. The last time the Marine Corps was without a Senate-confirmed leader was in 1859, when Commandant Archibald Henderson died without a successor in place.
How The Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum is focusing on the optics of the confirmation blockage on the global stage, typically quoting military officers criticizing Tuberville and accusing him of politicizing the armed forces.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Marine Corps without leader as Sen. Tommy Tuberville holds up nomination votes
The Marine Corps was without a Senate-confirmed commandant for the first time in 164 years Monday as Sen. Tommy Tuberville continued his monthslong blockade on Pentagon appointments in protest of military abortion access policies.
Now-former Commandant Gen. David H. Berger held an unusual “relinquishment of command” ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, ending his term as the corps’ top officer without formally handing the position over to a successor.
Typically, that happens with a “change of command” ceremony.
But as Tuberville (R-Ala.) refuses to relent on his boycott, Berger’s would-be successor,...
From the Left
Republican block leaves major branch of US military without a confirmed leader for first time in over a century
A major branch of the US military does not have a Senate confirmed leader for the first time in more than a century, as a result of a Republican senator refusing to lift his block on military nominations.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger relinquished command on Monday after holding a private retirement ceremony, after more than 40 years of service. His successor, Gen. Eric Smith, has not yet been confirmed to take over due to the hold on senior military nominations by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
Speaking...
From the Center
Tuberville’s hold leaves Marines leaderless for first time in 164 years
The blockade from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on about 250 of the Pentagon’s general and flag officers has left the Marine Corps without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger officially retired on Monday, leaving Assistant Commandant Gen. Eric Smith as the acting commandant and leader of the military branch until he is confirmed in the Senate.
The last time the Marine Corps was left with an acting commandant was in 1859, when Archibald Henderson, the fifth commandant of the Marines,...
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