Tata confirmed for top DOD post

The Senate voted 52-46 today to confirm retired Army brigadier general and former Fox News commentator Anthony Tata to be under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Tata was nominated unsuccessfully in President Trump’s first term to be under secretary of defense for policy but ran into tense opposition over a past statement calling then-President Obama a “terrorist.”

Tata also referred to Islam as "the most oppressive violent religion I know of."

Tata disavowed the statements but his nomination was withdrawn. Trump, however, later named him the acting No. 2 policy official at the Pentagon.

During his most recent confirmation hearing in May, Tata again disavowed the comments, saying they did not represent his true character.

Tata said that, if confirmed, he would strive to be an “apolitical leader that is trying to take care of the men and women in uniform and their families and the DOD civilians.”