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Fast Money & Foreign Objects
BY REBECCA KHEEL - 04/27/17 02:40 PM EDT 190
Six Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee are demanding President Trump nominate people to fill national security positions that have been empty since his inauguration.
“Nearly 100 days after your inauguration and with multiple international crises looming, it is unacceptable that these roles remain unfilled,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump on Thursday.
The letter was signed by Democratic Reps. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), Seth Moulton (Mass.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Colleen Hanabusa (Hawaii) and Donald Norcross (N.J.).
Trump so far has only seen one Pentagon nominee — Defense Secretary James Mattis— make it through the confirmation process while 52 more positions requiring a nominee or Senate approval.
Of the 52 other Defense posts requiring a presidential appointment, Trump has nominated someone for 11.
Additionally, the State Department has only seen three nominees confirmed — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and Israel ambassador David Friedman. More than 100 other senior jobs or ambassadorships still require action.
A State Department spokesman told the New York Times on Thursday there was no reason to nominate people for jobs that might be eliminated during restructuring.
In their letter, the lawmakers called Pentagon leadership “barren” and said the lack of nominees at the State Department is “hobbling” international engagement.
They specifically highlighted empty ambassadorships in the Asia-Pacific at a time of heightened tension with North Korea, as well as jobs at the Pentagon devoted to countering weapons of mass destruction.
“As a former national security specialist at the Department of Defense, I know that personnel is policy,” Murphy said in a statement. “In order to encounter growing threats and maximize opportunities around the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, this Administration needs to quickly nominate qualified people to fill these critical national security positions.”
Moulton said the Trump administration is “letting down our allies.”
“The Trump administration’s failure to fill hundreds of positions with qualified officials throughout the Defense and State Departments jeopardizes not only our national security but our leadership in the world,” Moulton said in a statement.
“Critical positions dealing with threats as critical as weapons of mass destruction remain unfilled — this is simply unacceptable now 100 days after inauguration.”
Gallego called the failure to nominate people “outrageous.”
“The principal reason for this delay is clear: in selecting nominees, President Trump obviously values support for his campaign more than competence or experience,” he said in a statement. “At a time when America faces a mounting crisis in North Korea and renewed antagonism from Russia, I urge President Trump to move rapidly to fill these critical national security positions with qualified American leaders.”
Dems to Trump: Not filling national security posts 'unacceptable'
This is really sad!
. It really feels like they went *sigh* the white man is back in charge. All is well.