Trump s second army secretary pick withdraws

Washington May 6 (IANS) US President Donald Trump s second pick for Army secretary announced that he was withdrawing his name from consideration the media reported.

It is with deep regret today (Friday) I am withdrawing my nomination to be the Secretary of the Army CNN quoted Mark Green as saying in a statement.

Green s move to withdraw came after earlier controversial statements he made over LGBT (lesbian gay bisexual transgender) issues and Islam were revealed.

He said his decision to pull out was in the wake of this controversy.

To meet these challenges there should be no distractions. And unfortunately due to false and misleading attacks against me this nomination has become a distraction Green said in his statement.

Tragically my life of public service and my Christian beliefs have been mischaracterised and attacked by a few on the other side of the aisle for political gain he added.

Green a retired Army flight surgeon was tapped in April as Trump s pick after billionaire Vincent Viola withdrew over issues related to divesting from his financial holdings reports CNN.

Philip Bilden Trump s pick to be Navy secretary also withdrew because he was not able to satisfy the Office of Government Ethics requirements for divestment without undue disruption of his assets.

Green currently a state senator in Tennessee faced rising opposition from LGBT activists and Democrats for his past comments about transgender people.

In 2016 Green told a tea party group if you poll the psychiatrists they re going to tell you that transgender is a disease.

In 2013 Green blasted former President Barack Obama for supporting what he said were transvestites in uniform.

Green is also a self-identified creationist who has delivered a lecture arguing against the theory of evolution.

--IANS
ksk