Army Secretary Nominee Withdraws From Consideration Amid Fierce Opposition

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump's Army secretary nominee, Mark Green, withdrew himself from consideration Friday for the position amid a firestorm of criticism from advocates about his past comments about the LGBT community.

"It is with deep regret today I am withdrawing my nomination to be the Secretary of the Army," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately, due to false and misleading attacks against me, this nomination has become a distraction." (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Advocates argue that his prior comments are more than a distraction. In remarks made at a Tea Party event in September 2016, he said, "“If you poll the psychiatrists, they’re going to tell you that transgender is a disease.” (In fact, the American Psychiatric Association explicitly says that identifying as transgender does not constitute a disorder.)

As the New York Times notes, "He also implied that gay marriage was as unthinkable 30 years ago as government-sponsored infanticide is today."

The Times also quotes Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association, who said, "All soldiers and their families, including those who are LGBT, should have confidence that the secretary of the Army has their back and is working for their best interest. Unfortunately, based on his vicious, anti-LGBT record, Mark Green cannot be trusted to ensure all those who serve have the support they need and deserve.”

Green disputed the negative characterization of his remarks in his statement Friday.

"Tragically, my life of public service and my Christian beliefs have been mischaracterized and attacked by a few on the other side of the aisle for political gain," he said in the statement. "While these false attacks have no bearing on the needs of the Army or my qualifications to serve, I believe it is critical to give the President the ability to move forward with his vision to restore our military to its rightful place in the world."

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