Senate Republicans rip Tuberville as he foils votes on military promotions
Frustrations over the Alabama Republican's long hold on military promotions is boiling over in his own party


"Republican senators ran out of patience Wednesday night with Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville's monthslong hold on hundreds of military promotions," The Wall Street Journal reported. For more than four hours, a group of GOP senators, most with military backgrounds, staged a "dramatic showdown" on the Senate floor, bringing up 61 generals and admirals whose promotions Tuberville has blocked since February — and growing increasingly angry and caustic as Tuberville, who has no military experience, objected to confirmation votes for each officer.
The senators — Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) — said they agreed with Tuberville's objection to a Pentagon policy that supports female personnel who have to travel to get abortion services — but found his methods increasingly dangerous and counterproductive.
"Xi Jinping is watching this right now, going, 'I can't believe they're not letting these guys command,'" said Sullivan, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. "He's loving this. So is [Vladimir] Putin. ... How dumb can we be, man?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Graham, a retired Air Force officer explained that these nearly 400 officers will be forced out if their promotions linger too long. Despite Tuberville's continuing assertions to the contrary, "this is doing great damage to our military," he said. "I have been trying to work with you for nine months."
Ernst, a retired Army officer, said Tuberville had requested "that these nominations be brought to the floor and voted on individually," and now that they were, he was still blocking them. "I really respect men of their word," she said. "I do not respect men who do not honor their word."
Tuberville said Wednesday there is "zero chance" he lifts his hold until the Pentagon changes its policy.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) filed a motion Tuesday for the Senate to vote on three Tuberville-blocked nominees as early as Thursday — Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, Gen. David Allvin to run the Air Force, and Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney to fill the vacant No. 2 slot at the Marine Corps. That vacancy came into sharp relief this week when recently confirmed Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith collapsed Sunday of an apparent heart attack. Smith, who was listed in stable condition on Wednesday, had been doing the job of both commandant and assistant commandant since July, thanks to Tuberville's hold. "It is not sustainable," Smith said in September after describing his grueling schedule.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Why is this government shutdown so consequential?
Today's Big Question Federal employee layoffs could be in the thousands
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
Shutdown: Democrats stand firm, at a cost
Feature With Trump refusing to negotiate, Democrats’ fight over health care could push the government toward a shutdown
-
Trump’s plan for a government shutdown: mass firings
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As lawmakers scramble to avoid a shutdown, the White House is making plans for widespread layoffs that could lead to a permanent federal downsizing
-
Democrats might be ready for a shutdown. What do they want?
Today’s Big Question A ‘hardened approach’ against Trump
-
3 killed in Trump’s second Venezuelan boat strike
Speed Read Legal experts said Trump had no authority to order extrajudicial executions of noncombatants
-
Why does Donald Trump keep showing up at major sporting events?
Today's Big Question Trump has appeared at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other events
-
Can Trump put his tariffs on stronger legal footing?
Today's Big Question Appeals court says 'emergency' tariffs are improper