Army secretary nominee withdraws, blaming ‘attacks’
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s Army secretary nominee withdrew from consideration Friday, a senior defense official said, amid mounting opposition to comments he made about Islam, evolution and gender issues.
Mark Green, a Republican state lawmaker in Tennessee and veteran of the Iraq War, blamed “false and misleading attacks against him” in a statement provided to NBC News. The Pentagon and the White House had no immediate reaction to the move, but it came hours after a Defense Department spokesman declined to say whether Defense Secretary Jim Mattis still supported Green for the job.
Green pulled out after a m o n t h o f growing c a l l s f o r the Trump administration to choose someone else. Advocacy groups for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people immediately launched an effort to block his nomination after it was announced April 7, saying his history of antagonism toward them made him unacceptable.
Several Democratic senators signaled opposition to Green this week, including Joe Donnelly, of Indiana, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Patty Murray of Washington and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, as well as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
Schumer said Friday that Green’s decision to withdraw is good news for all Americans, “especially those who were personally vilified by his disparaging comments toward the LGBTQ community, Muslim community, Latino community and more. He said he hopes Trump will select someone else who can represent everyone in the Army.
Republicans had not openly opposed Green’s nomination, but some had suggested that they wanted to hear more about his past views. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in an interview with USA Today this week that some of Green’s comments are “very concerning.”