Chris Van Hollen: “after Monday's shameful display by the Secretary of Defense, I voted against the President's nominees to be Deputy Under…”

“after Monday's shameful display by the Secretary of Defense, I voted against the President's nominees to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. The language of war has no place on American streets in the face of peaceful protests. Secretary Esper's dangerous comment that the military needs to ``dominate the battlespace''--referring to American cities--threatened the lives of American citizens exercising their constitutional rights. His willingness to accompany the President to a photo-op after gassing peaceful protesters underscores the moral rot in the Department's leadership. At this time, I have lost confidence that any nominee can be trusted to stand up to the President's attempts to weaponize the Defense Department for his personal and political ends. For that reason, I voted against his nominees in the Department. ____________________”