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Washington, DC – The Senate, on Thursday, provided its seal of approval, confirming Gen. Eric Smith as the chief Marine general. This decision ended a prolonged phase of uncertainty for the Marine Corps, which had been without a formally recognized commandant.
Having served as the assistant commandant since 2021, Smith took on the responsibilities of the acting commandant after Gen. David Berger’s retirement in July. The White House had identified Smith as Berger’s official successor in May. However, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, declined to grant unanimous consent for the standard military nominees confirmation process, causing a delay.
As the acting commandant, Smith wielded nearly all the powers of a Senate-confirmed commandant, but with some limitations. For instance, he couldn’t release long-term planning guidance or reside in the Commandants’ residence. Moreover, he couldn’t officially be titled “commandant” and was addressed as the “assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.”
This absence of a distinct leadership raised eyebrows, particularly because Smith occupied both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions simultaneously. Awaiting confirmation for the assistant commandant role is Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney.
Smith has voiced concerns over the unsustainable workload, saying it affected his sleep and decision-making capacity. He emphasized, “I don’t mind breaking my own back. It’s just, I have to make good decisions.”
The reason behind Sen. Tuberville’s refusal revolved around his dissent on a Pentagon policy that catered to travel and leave expenses for service members seeking abortions outside their state, deeming it a misuse of federal funds. However, the Defense Department defended the policy, citing it as essential for member health, well-being, and force readiness.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, responded to the delays by initiating individual voting on nominees. In a surprise move, Tuberville signaled his willingness to vote for Smith, whom he had previously expressed support for. Subsequently, the Senate, with a majority of 96 votes, including Tuberville’s, confirmed Smith.
However, the exact date Smith will officially take on the commandant role remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Tuberville has expressed his intention to continue his stand on over 300 military nominees yet to be confirmed. He retorted, “If Democrats want to complain then they should look in the mirror. I don’t control the Senate floor — the Democrats do.”
Currently, several key positions within the Marine Corps remain vacant, as highlighted by Pentagon announcements. The top enlisted Marine, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz, took on his role in August without requiring Senate confirmation. In another instance, the I Marine Expeditionary Force in California still operates under an acting major general.
Source: US Dept. of Defense
