The Senate on Wednesday quietly cleared a key military nomination for commanding general of the U.S. Army in the Pacific after Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) dropped his hold on the nominee.
Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark, the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, was confirmed to be a general for the commanding Army job in the Pacific by a voice vote in the Senate shortly after Tuberville’s hold was dropped. Other military nominations were also confirmed.
Tuberville had been holding up Clark’s four-star nomination, which requires Senate approval, since at least early September over concerns he was deeply involved in Austin’s hospitalization scandal earlier this year.
Mallory Jaspers, a spokesperson for Tuberville’s office, said the senator met with Clark on Tuesday and decided to drop his hold “after a detailed discussion.”
“While there were certainly failures elsewhere, the senator is confident that LTG Clark more than fulfilled his duties during the Secretary’s hospitalization,” Jaspers said in a statement. “Senator Tuberville is thankful for LTG Clark’s many decades of service to our nation and wishes he and his family the best in his new assignment.”
