The Senate on Tuesday confirmed retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata as the next Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, putting the controversial nominee in charge of a host of department programs supporting troops and their families.
Tata was approved for the post by a partisan 52-46 vote, with all Republicans present in the chamber backing his nomination and all Democrats opposing it.
He served as Deputy Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division during its deployment to Afghanistan in 2006. After his retirement from the military in 2009, he spent time as a public school administrator and as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Tata served as a senior advisor to the Defense Secretary during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, a position he was appointed to after a failed attempt to gain confirmation as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
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His bid was derailed by the revelation of numerous inflammatory comments on social media and in past media appearances, including labeling of former President Barack Obama as a “terrorist leader” and a secret Muslim believer.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., said that Tata has shown little remorse for those comments and remains too volatile for the critical Pentagon leadership role.
“Mr. Tata has a misguided and discriminatory view of military and civilian workforces he would oversee,” Reed said.
“Our servicemembers and their families and the civilian employees who support them come from all backgrounds and political persuasions … Mr. Tata, to be effective, would need to serve all members of the Department of Defense and their families, not just those with whom he agrees politically. His public record and past performance at the Pentagon do not inspire confidence in this regard.”
During his confirmation hearing in May, Tata said he regretted some of his past statements and pledged to “be an apolitical leader that is trying to take care of the men and women in uniform” in his new role.
Democratic objections in the chamber were not enough to stave off Tata’s confirmation this time.
The Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness oversees a host of Pentagon program offices, including the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Military Health Care System, the Defense Commissary Agency and the Defense Travel Management Office.
Several of those have already been involved in controversies regarding new policy mandates from the Trump administration, with critics charging that the moves are politicizing support services for troops and their families.
Tata is expected to be sworn into the new role in the next few days.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
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