Dems Grill Pentagon Nominee Tata Over Past Inflammatory Remarks, Calling Obama 'terrorist Leader'

Retired Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata, President Trump’s prime for a apical Pentagon post, came nether occurrence astatine his Senate confirmation proceeding Tuesday for past inflammatory remarks, including calling erstwhile President Barack Obama a "terrorist leader" and suggesting ex-CIA Director John Brennan deserved execution.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., nan apical Democrat connected nan Armed Services Committee, called Tata’s grounds of governmental statements "disqualifying" and said his rhetoric was "not due for a position of this significance."

"I respect and admit your subject service," Reed said, "but your grounds of nationalist statements and behaviour toward individuals pinch whom you disagree politically is disqualifying."

Tata, nether questioning from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said he regretted nan comments, calling them "out of character." 

HEGSETH ORDERS ‘HISTORIC’ REDUCTION OF GENERAL OFFICERS IN THE MILITARY

Anthony Tata, President Donald Trump's nominee for undersecretary for unit and readiness astatine nan Department of Defense, disavowed his past remarks. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I regret making those comments," said Tata. "I person 45 years of solution-oriented leadership, that was retired of character. I regret it. I tin guarantee that I will beryllium an apolitical leader."

The retired Army general and erstwhile Trump management charismatic was nominated for a elder Pentagon domiciled successful 2020, but nan Senate canceled his confirmation proceeding astatine nan past infinitesimal complete akin concerns. Trump later appointed him to a civilian advisory domiciled without Senate confirmation.

Tata’s post-military profession includes stints arsenic a schoolhouse territory official, North Carolina’s caput of transportation, and a subject thriller author. 

After calling Obama a violent successful 2018, Tata later wrote connected X that he was "joking" and meant to knock Obama for nan Iran deal. 

"I was joking! Of people it’s not a conspiracy theory. He did much to harm US captious interests and thief Islamic countries than immoderate president successful history. The Iran woody unsocial is much than capable grounds of his thrust to subvert US nationalist interests to Islam and a globalist agenda." 

"Might beryllium a clip to prime your poison," Tata had besides replied connected X to Brennan successful a since-deleted post, accusing him of treason. 

Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Darin Selnick, his lawman main of unit who had besides been performing nan duties of undersecretary of defense for unit and readiness. Selnick was one of 3 apical aides Hegseth fired aft a leak investigation and fights betwixt nan aides and his erstwhile main of staff. 

HEGSETH ORDERS SWEEPING ARMY OVERHAUL AND CONSOLIDATION AIMED AT COUNTERING CHINA AND GOLDEN DOME CAPABILITIES

Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Darin Selnick, his lawman main of unit who had besides been performing nan duties of undersecretary of defense for unit and readiness. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Senators besides pressed Tata connected much caller societal media posts, including a tweet suggesting subject officers were engaged successful "mutinous discussions" and different calling for elder defense officials appointed by President Joe Biden to beryllium fired. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., asked whether Tata weighted loyalty to nan Constitution aliases nan administration’s governmental schedule more.

"We each raise our correct manus to uphold nan Constitution," Tata responded, though he defended Trump’s imagination of avoiding "unnecessary wars" and rebuilding nan military. He pledged to uphold his oath moreover "if it intends getting fired."

If confirmed arsenic undersecretary of defense for unit and readiness, Tata would oversee subject recruitment, education, healthcare and wide unit readiness. He would besides play a cardinal domiciled successful implementing efforts backed by Trump friends to trim nan number of wide officers and destruct diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives successful nan department.

Tata said he would push to amended subject recruiting by expanding entree to precocious schoolhouse programs to build a "warrior ethos," and streamline aesculapian waivers for disqualified candidates. He besides pledged to counsel nan concatenation of bid connected "apolitical and nonsubjective hirings," and denied supporting immoderate benignant of "blatant purge."

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., expressed interest astir governmental unit connected subject leadership, citing nan caller ouster of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown. Tata insisted his attack would beryllium objective.

Sen. Jack Reed listens during a Senate proceeding connected Capitol Hill connected March 3, 2022, successful Washington, D.C.  (Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

In contrast, nan information of Katherine Sutton for a apical Pentagon exertion domiciled drew small opposition. Sutton, presently main exertion advisor astatine U.S. Cyber Command, warned that China’s cyber threats request urgent finance successful emerging technologies specified arsenic artificial intelligence. 

Sutton was pressed by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., connected whether she believed Signal and Telemessage were permissible for activity purposes astatine nan DoD, aft a slew of reports astir nan secretary's usage of nan encrypted messaging applications.

"Depends connected nan level of classification," said Sutton, adding location are a "wide variety" of apps successful usage astatine nan DoD. 

"OK, gladsome you sewage your talking constituent reply out," said Slotkin. "It’s concerning to maine that going into this occupation you can’t springiness a consecutive balls and onslaught answer."