List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

The US Marine Corps is without leadership for the first time in more than a century after its commandant stepped down and a Republican party senator blocked over 200 military appointments that include a successor for the post. The marine services of the US Department of the Navy are in for a historic limbo as Alabama’s Republican senator Tommy Tuberville has blocked the nominations for months to protest against the defence department’s abortion policies. General David Berger stepped down as commandant on Monday and his assistant commandant and potential successor, general Eric Smith, stepped in as the acting leader of the US Marine Corps. His nomination by the Senate is among the 256 nominations that have been hindered by Mr Tuberville’s blockade. The Republican senator launched his bid to obstruct the nominations in response to a Pentagon policy that offers travel allowances and time off for a service member who has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. Denouncing the policy approved by defence secretary Lloyd Austin as “illegal tax-payer funded abortions”, Mr Tuberville said his hold will have a “minimal effect” on Mr Smith’s ability to lead. Under the law, top military decisions are approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee and eventually by the consent of the full chamber. But a single objector can hold up the process. The Pentagon said the blockade could lead to the stalling of promotions of 650 personnel if it continues till the end of the year. Mr Smith was nominated for promotion by Joe Biden and his confirmation hearing was on 13 June, something that was blocked by Mr Tuberville. The stall in his promotion means he will not be able to move to the main residence of the commandant or the commandant’s office, or even issue any new formal commandant’s planning guidance, which is usual for a successor. He will have the authority to implement new policies for the services such as budget, training and other personnel decisions. “Two positions that require two different people to be in those roles will now be a dual-hatted position,” said the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, “which of course is going to impact the US Marine Corps”. The Pentagon is asking officers to delay their planned retirements, while some officers have already taken the responsibilities of more senior ranking jobs without getting the pay for the new rank, she said. Both Mr Austin and Mr Berger have called on the Senate to take action to resolve the situation. “You know, it’s been more than a century since the US Marine Corps has operated without a Senate confirmed commandant,” Mr Austin said at a ceremony at the Marine Barracks Washington. “Smooth and timely transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States and to the full strength of the most powerful fighting force in history,” he said. “Stable and orderly leadership transitions are also vital to maintaining our unmatched network of allies and partners. And they’re crucial for our military readiness.” The Republican senator has been called out by senior leadership for the blockade. “This blockade weakens our national security,” said senator Jack Reed, the Democratic chairman of the Armed Services Committee. “Every day it goes on it has a more significant impact on operations within our military – all branches of our military.” “My hold is not affecting readiness,” said Mr Tuberville in a Washington Post op-ed, steadfast in his opposition to the policy. “Acting officials are in each one of the positions that are due for a promotion. The hold affects only those at the very top – generals and flag officers. The people who actually fight are not affected at all.” If the blockade continues, it will affect the appointment of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, as current chair, army general Mark Milley, is set to retire from the highest-ranking US military job in September. General CQ Brown, the current chief of the Air Force, has been nominated to replace Mr Milley, and is scheduled to go before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his hearing on Tuesday. Read More What are cluster bombs and what is controversial about Biden sending them to Ukraine? Biden will meet Zelensky at Nato summit in Lithuania as war with Russia rages on Biden news – live: President to meet Zelensky as palace reacts to King Charles royal protocol breach A grand jury being seated Tuesday could decide whether Trump is charged over Georgia's 2020 election Colorado lawmakers sue colleagues over closed-door meetings Texas governor names second interim attorney general ahead of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

President Joe Biden and alliance leaders enter the first day of the high-stakes NATO Summit Tuesday with a reinvigorated sense of unity after a major win on Monday evening when Turkey agreed to Sweden's bid to join the alliance.

President Joe Biden has already secured a powerful deliverable from his Europe trip -- one that will weaken Russia's strategic position in another detrimental consequence of its invasion of Ukraine.

US prosecutors unsealed an indictment Monday charging the co-director of a think tank with illicit arms trafficking, violating US sanctions laws, and other charges, five months after he was arrested in Cyprus and fled from authorities.

An Alabama senator has held up 265 nominations over a Pentagon policy ensuring access to abortion.

A handful of Republican presidential candidates on Monday came to the defense of Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds -- who holds a uniquely powerful position as governor of the first-in-the-nation GOP caucus state -- after former President Donald Trump criticized her for staying neutral in the 2024 nominating contest.

Rudy Giuliani is negotiating a possible resolution in his ongoing court dispute with former Georgia election workers Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and Ruby Freeman, after they accused him of defaming them following the 2020 election and already won nearly $90,000 from him for attorneys' fees.

House GOP leaders are confronting a legislative landmine over a massive defense bill as right-wing lawmakers are pushing for a slew of hot button amendments that could put moderate Republicans in a complicated position and threaten Democratic support for the must-pass bill.

Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Lithuania on Wednesday, US officials confirmed to The Independent. The meeting comes as Mr Biden has expressed doubts in recent days about Ukraine’s long-sought goal of joining the trans-Atlantic alliance. “I don’t think there is unanimity in Nato about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the Nato family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war,” he told CNN last week. The pair last met in May at a G-7 summit in Japan. This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

The Biden administration has introduced a new plan to combat overdose deaths from xylazine, a powerful veterinary sedative that has increasingly shown up in such deaths across the country, exacerbating the opioid overdose epidemic in the United States.

A “whistleblower” who has repeatedly accused the Bidens of corruption has been charged by the Justice Department with arms trafficking, acting as a foreign agent for China and violating Iran sanctions. Gal Luft, who is a citizen of both the United States and Israel, is accused of paying a former adviser to Donald Trump on behalf of principals in China in 2016 without registering as a foreign agent. Prosecutors say that Mr Luft pushed the former government employee, who is not named, to push policies that were favourable to China. Mr Luft, 57, was arrested in Cyprus in February on US charges but fled after being released on bail while awaiting extradition, stated prosecutors. He is not currently in US custody. Prosecutors also allege that he set up meetings between officials of Iran and a Chinese energy company to discuss oil deals, which would violate US sanctions.

The US Air Force has suspended personnel moves and bonuses through the end of the fiscal year as the service faces a funding shortfall driven by higher-than-expected costs, according to a statement from the service Monday.