WASHINGTON — The No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. House is calling for the withdrawal of President Trump's nominee for Army secretary over his "clear record of homophobia and transphobia."
Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Maryland, issued a statement on Monday strongly urging Trump to pick someone other than Mark Green, a Tennessee state lawmaker and former Army flight surgeon. Hoyer was adding his voice to LGBT advocates and other lawmakers who have assailed Green for calling transgenderism a "disease" and suggesting the Tennessee governor could refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
Green has also come under fire for alleged anti-Muslim rhetoric, including a 2013 Twitter message in which he referred to then-President Obama as "B Hussein Obama" and a statement made during a political meeting last year, that Tennessee "will not tolerate" the "teaching [of] the pillars of Islam." Hoyer's statement came on the same day Muslim civil rights group Muslim Advocates condemned Green.
"The civilian leaders the President selects to oversee our military set the tone for the men and women of our Armed Forces and how they are expected to behave," Hoyer's statement reads.
"Appointing someone with a clear record of homophobia and transphobia, who has made disgusting statements demeaning toward groups of Americans, would send the absolute wrong signal about the values for which our military service members are risking their lives.
"What message would such an individual's appointment send to the courageous LGBT Americans proud to serve their nation in uniform and who are doing so every day with distinction? What kind of message would it send to the world, particularly nations like Russia where LGBT individuals are routinely repressed? Our military cannot be strong unless its values are strong and adhere to the vision of inclusion and the equal opportunity to serve."
The statement follows a letter from 31 members of Congress asking Senate Armed Services Commitee leadership to vote against President Trump's Army secretary nominee.
Muslim Advocates said in a statement that for military filled with patriotic Americans from diverse backgrounds, "Mark Green's naked bigotry disqualifies him for the job of Army Secretary." Its follows the Council on American-Islamic Relations similar call last month.
In a post to his Facebook page on April 25, Green railed against the "liberal left" and linked to a Christian blogger who he said "figured out why certain people are cutting and splicing my words to paint me as a hater. It will not stand."
"I have never and will never force my religion on anyone," he said, adding: "I believe that every American has a right to defend their country regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. It's the radical left that won't allow the latter."
Green said in a statement to Army Times last month that he did not intend to bring his personal feelings to his role as civilian leader of the Army.
"I was nominated by President Trump to do one job: serve as his secretary of the Army," he said. "If confirmed, I will solely focus on making recommendations to him on how to keep our country safe and secure. Politics will have nothing to do with it."
Green, if confirmed by the Senate, would follow Eric Fanning, the first openly gay Army secretary and an Obama administration pick.
As of May 1, Congress had not received Green's nomination from the White House, according to the Congressional Record. President Trump announced his selection April 7.
Email: jgould@defensenews.com
Twitter: @reporterjoe
Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.
