the first time in over a century, the U. S Marine Corps will not
have a permanent leader. Current Marine Corps Commandant David Berger
is in his last week on the job he's required to retire on Monday,
but due to a hold on hundreds of military promotions by Alabama Senator
Tommy Tuberville, there's no confirmed replacement. If this continues,
other branches will soon have the same problem to help unpack the
standoff. I'm joined by congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardin.
Lisa Good to see you. So remind us. What is the senator doing? Here
and why. The senator is flexing the power, unique power of an individual
senator to affect the time on the floor. And he is blocking 250 now
military promotions. These are senior level officers, flag officers
think generals and admirals. By and large Now the issue is, of course.
Why is he doing this? Why is he slowing down these nominations? It's
about abortion. Senator Tuberville objects to the now defense policy
put in place after the end of Roe versus Wade, in which the Defense
Department will pay for travel for a service member to get an elective
abortion If there is not one available where they are based on top
of ill says that is the issue here
have no real impact on military readiness. Or operations. The military
wasting time and resources to coordinate abortion trips hurts readiness.
Not the Senate using regular order. To vote on nominees, sources
close to Tuberville tell me He's also unhappy because defense Secretary
Austin only called him once
he feels like he warned that he might do this. He wants more engagement.
But you know those around the defense secretary of military say he's
not going to negotiate, nor should any defense secretary with a single
senator over their policy so quickly. Let's look at where we are
and what's ahead in the next couple of weeks. So as you just reported
the commandant of the Marine Corps retires on Monday, But that's
not the only one coming in August near the beginning of August. The
Army chief of staff will retire first. Then shortly after that, the
chief of naval operations also due to retire. Then followed in October,
the very top military officer in our nation, the chair of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff set to retire with no confirmed replacements. Omnia.
All of those positions will be filled by acting officers. So, Lisa,
we heard the senator. They're saying he doesn't believe there's any
impact to his actions here. What about the military? What are they
saying? Could not disagree More? They think this is dangerous. No
one thinks of Marine Corps. The military will collapse and having
acting commanders here, But when you talk to those who cover it,
you find that there are some ripple effects already, For example,
we talked to Rebecca Keel. Reporter who covers the military. Been
very much think it is a big deal. This is going to be the first time
in more than a century that the Marines have had an acting common
ought so it is, um it's not unprecedented, but it is very rare and
Um like with With that leadership vacuum and not being able to make
these big strategic decisions at a time. We you know, we're facing
the war in Ukraine, and we're trying to prepare for any conflict
with China, not being able to make those long term big planning decisions
is going to affect the military and acting commandant, for example,
couldn't make decisions on the fly. They would have to stick with
whatever decisions are in place now. And as you just heard. We know
this is a world that's changing quickly. China Ukraine Major pressures
going on. Also, in addition to this Families of these officers will
not be able to move. This is a time right now. The summer when usually
families are moving to their kids can start school in the fall hundreds
of families at risk there for that kind of issue, And in addition
to that, we also know that what's happening is some lower ranking
officers. I talked to one today are thinking maybe I don't even want
to go for the promotion. If this is going to be a political world
I also spoke to one former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Admiral Mike Mullen. And he said Very clearly, Senator Tuberville
is saying he supports the military. But he's having the exact opposite
effect, at least to be clear here. Senator Tuberville is the only
one involved in this whole right. So how much pressure others, especially
other Republicans, putting on him to reverse course here when this
first started back in March, I think we expected pressure to mount
pretty quickly, but the truth is He doesn't really feel much pressure
from Republicans at all. There is one Republican who has kind of
openly and very clearly opposed what he's doing. It's a big one,
Senator Mitch McConnell. Here's what he said about this in May. No,
I don't support putting a hold on. Military.
Nominations. Don't support that. But as to why you need a center
trouble, Ville
Behind the scenes. There's a strange lack of engagement among Republicans.
They obviously are hearing from military officers. Many of them feel
that this has to change, but there really isn't pressure on top of
ill at this moment. In fact, it's the opposite folks around him,
say his constituents like what he's doing with all the concerns about
leadership vacuums and so on. How how does this end and when I have
to say it's not clear there was a chance that this could become part
of a defense authorization bill moving right now, but that does not
look like this will be part of an off ramp. In that way. Now those
around Tuberville say, Hey, Democrats just have to take longer to
do this run the clock, hours and hours for each nomination that would
take months and months. They're not going to do that, and it sets
a terrible precedent. There are others who say call his bluff, made
him stand in the Senate chamber and object to issue these nominations.
Also a bad precedent. So I think the truth of it is Omnia that this
is going to be with us For a few months. The Biden administration
will try and pressure with things like maybe appropriations or military
base things that he wants. But right now, we don't know how this
ends tracking at all. I'm sure our congressional correspondent Lisa
Desjardin, thank you.