Kahl apologized at the start of Thursday’s hearing for using “disrespectful” language on social media, arguing that he would reach a top policy job with a bipartisan perspective and with a bipartisan lens in dealing with Congress.
Sen. Tom K (Ton (R-Arch.), Who plans to vote against Kahl, confronted the nominee at the start of the hearing, noting past tweets criticizing Republicans and former President Donald Trump’s policies. Debates himself “and said the GOP” is a “party of ethnic cleansing,” while sharing a story about Texas senior GOP Sen. John Cornin. Defending Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria before Turkey’s incursion there.
“There are going to be real tensions when you’re in the Pentagon and Iran is going to hijack another American ship or shoot down a Chinese plane,” Cotton Kahle said. “And if you’re just responding to policy disagreements while sitting at home reading the news, I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to sit at the Pentagon and make decisions about life and death.”
Kahl said that during the Trump years it was a “sweep up” in the online online polarizing environment.
“To be clear, there’s been a lot of polarization on social media over the last few years. I’m sure I’ve been successful even at that point,” Kahl told Cotton. “President Trump took a lot of positions that I strongly opposed. I think the language I opposed was sometimes disrespectful, and I apologize for that.”
He was predeceased by George W. Starting with the Bush administration, the Pentagon emphasized his “long track record” of putting partisan politics aside.
“I understand that the position of defense secretary of policy, when it is a political appointment, is not a political job. It is a policy job. I need to be neutral.” “I know I can connect myself that way because that’s the last time I did it at the Pentagon.”
Top Republican on the panel, Sen. of Oklahoma. Jim Inhoff also questioned Kahl’s comments and policy stance – including whether sanctions against Iran should be lifted. And he criticized the details of a call between him and Kahl last week by Politico.
“National security is very important for partisan politics,” Inhoff said. “Unfortunately, in the past, in many cases, your public policy position has been replaced by fact-based analysis rather than partisan politics.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (RSD) compared Gaddy’s concerns with Kahl’s tweets to Antony Tata’s opposition, Trump’s candidate for the top job in Pentagon policy, who was withdrawn last year for making inflammatory remarks about Muslims and Democratic officials . Conspiracy theories on Twitter. Tata was later appointed acting policy president.
Roundes said, “Your tweets have been harsh, and in many cases incendiary, something that many members have raised issues with the candidate for the same position in the previous administration.”
A Democrat, Sen. of Hawaii. Former Hirono, many G.O.P. After lawmakers refrained from commenting on Trump’s fiery posts, Republicans noted the rush for nominees for tough tweets.
“I note that some of the tweets he has made about the Iran deal have been criticized by the nominee, which I consider to be one of the most critical agreements entered into by this country,” Hirono said. “Like the former president’s lies, racist tweets I think he’s too rich, this kind of criticism from tweets from people who say nothing about it.”
In addition to cotton during the cotton, Iowa Republican Johnny Ernst announced that he would oppose Kahl’s nomination.
Another member of the Republican Armed Services, Sen. of Tennessee. Marsha Blackburn vows to oppose Kahl before Thursday’s hearing. The GOP senator argued that Kahl “has consistently misunderstood almost every foreign policy issue in recent memory” and has “zero meaningful experience” on China.
Democrats appeared largely supporters of Kahl. Armed Services Chairman Jack Reid (DRI) praised Kahl’s experience, serving as the Pentagon’s head of Middle East policy from 2009 to 2011 and then as Vice President Biden’s national security adviser from 2014 to 2017.
And sen. Tim Caine (D-Va.) Said Republicans’ opposition to Kahl is more rooted in his views on the Iran nuclear deal, which Kahl called objectionable.
“I think your nomination is a kind of proxy for the sharp vote on the wisdom of the JCPO in this committee and in Congress,” Kaine told Kahal. “That’s the main part of many questions today.”
If the Senate unites in opposition to Republican Kahl, a Democrat could sink a 50-50 Senate nomination. While Democratic Sen. A similar situation disrupted Tanden’s nomination when Man Manchin opposed his bid.
