Lieutenant General Ronald Clark was set to become the four-star commander of U.S. operations in the Pacific, but Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville blocked his nomination and Clark’s promotion is now on hold.
Pentagon officials are urging senators to confirm Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark for a prominent role in the armed forces after news broke that Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville would block Clark’s nomination.
Tuberville expressed concerns about the length of time it took authorities to inform President Joe Biden about the health problems of his Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin.
Clark is one of Austin’s most senior advisers and was set to become the four-star commander of U.S. Army operations in the Pacific, but that appointment is now on hold.
Mallory Jaspers, press secretary for Senator Tuberville, told USA TODAY that the senator was concerned about the connection between Clark and Austin’s health problems.
“Senator Tuberville is concerned about Lt. Gen. Clark’s actions during Secretary Austin’s hospitalization. Lt. Gen. Clark knew Secretary Austin was incapacitated and failed to inform the Commander in Chief,” Jaspers said. “As a senior officer, Lt. Gen. Clark is required by his oath of office to notify the POTUS (President of the United States) when the chain of command is compromised.”
Austin’s health problems have led to conflicts between the Pentagon, the White House and Congress. The fact that Austin failed to inform his own staff, the public and lawmakers on Capitol Hill of his cancer diagnosis and continued to keep him in intensive care sparked bipartisan outrage.
Late last year, Austin underwent surgery for prostate cancer on December 22. On January 1, he had to be taken back to Walter Reed Hospital by ambulance after suffering severe hip and leg pain and nausea, and had to spend about two weeks in the hospital.
Tuberville is still holding out for Clark’s nomination due to Austin’s lack of communication. Here’s what we know.
Tuberville has obstructed countless other nominations
Tuberville has already faced opposition from the Pentagon and his Senate colleagues after blocking hundreds of promotions of senior military officials in protest of a Pentagon policy that provided leave and travel stipends to service members who had to travel across state lines for an abortion.
Pressure on Tuberville mounted when the Senate Rules Committee voted to change a rule that allowed the senator to block nominations and promotions.
A few weeks later, in December, under pressure from his own party, Tuberville finally withdrew his protest, having already approved more than 400 promotions in the military. However, the confirmation of eleven four-star candidates was still pending and was confirmed later that same month.
The Pentagon increases the pressure
In a press conference on Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major General Pat Ryder spoke in favor of Clark’s nomination.
“General Clark is a highly qualified senior officer, a leader. He was nominated for this important position because of his expertise and experience at the strategic level,” Ryder said.
A looming Pentagon investigation
Responding to the comments from the Pentagon, Tuberville reiterated his reasons for blocking Clark’s nomination in a Newsmax interview on Tuesday.
Jaspers also said Tuberville is awaiting the results of an investigation by the Pentagon’s inspector general, announced in January, into the events surrounding Austin’s secret hospitalization late last year.
As reported earlier this year, the review will assess whether “Department of Defense policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notification and effective delegation of authority as may be required due to health or other reasons when senior leadership is unavailable,” said a statement from Deputy Inspector General Reishia Kelsey.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
