House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, a
Democrat from Maryland, on Monday called on President Donald Trump to
withdraw the nomination of Mark Green as Army secretary.
As a Tennessee state legislator, Green
has a record of supporting anti-LGBT legislation.
“I strongly urge President Trump to
withdraw Mark Green as his nominee for Army Secretary,” Hoyer
said in a statement. “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. 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,” he added.
Green has spearheaded legislation
similar to North Carolina's House Bill 2. One bill sought to
prohibit cities from enacting LGBT protections, while another barred
transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice.
He's also made derogatory comments
toward transgender people. At a town hall last year, he called
transgenderism a “disease.” He also once called transgender
people “evil.”
(Related: Mark
Green, Trump's pick for Army secretary, says transgender people are
“evil.”)
Last week, 32 House Democrats urged the
Senate to reject Green's confirmation.
Green defended himself in a Facebook
post promoting a story claiming that “homosexual activists” are
targeting him because he's a Christian. Green stated that he
believes “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.” “It would seem that this gentleman has figured out why
certain people are cutting and splicing my words to paint me as a
hater,” he
added in sharing the link.