Rep. Ruben Gallego Demands Answers Regarding Military Readiness
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to the military Service Chiefs demanding information about the effects that unplanned military operations – including President Trump's diversion of troops and resources to the southwest border – are having on military readiness.
Yesterday, the LA Times published a memo written by the Marine Corps Commandant asking the Navy to address several unplanned expenses, including southwest border operations. In the memo, Marine Commandant General Robert Neller noted that numerous exercises and trainings have been cancelled and reduced, affecting military readiness and resulting in "extremely negative impacts" to the joint force.
In the letter, Rep. Gallego requests a full accounting of unplanned and unbudgeted factors managed by the military this fiscal year, as well as lists of cancelled, delayed or reduced trainings and exercises and the effects thereof.
"Military leaders are sounding the alarm about Donald Trump's reckless decision to use our troops as a political pawn in support of his fake emergency, and we need to listen and act," Rep. Gallego said. "Our military must be ready to face very real threats that exist worldwide, and Trump's irresponsible posturing is putting that preparedness at great risk. Congress needs to know the extent of the damage that Trump is causing to our military readiness. Our President is putting our national security on the line, and he must be stopped."
The full letter can be found here.
Rep. Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran and serves on the House Armed Services Committee.