US Republican senator blocks Navy chief confirmation: Report

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHIGNTON (AA) - US Sen. Dan Sullivan is blocking the confirmation of Adm. Daryl Caudle, the nominee for the Navy’s top officer, in an effort to push the Navy to reopen a long-shuttered military base in the state of Alaska, Politico reported Thursday.

Citing four people familiar with the matter, Politico said Sullivan is objecting to the Senate confirmation due to issues that "have nothing to do" with Caudle.

Sullivan is holding up Caudle’s nomination until the Pentagon agrees to reopen the Adak Naval Air Station, located in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska, which was closed after the Cold War, according to the report.

The senator has argued that bolstering the US military footprint in Alaska is "critical" to counter growing threats from Russia and China in the Arctic, and he has obtained endorsements for reopening the station from some top military commanders, the report said.

In June, US President Donald Trump tapped Caudle to serve as the next chief of naval operations after the removal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti in February alongside other senior officers.

During a confirmation hearing before the Senate committee on July 24, Caudle said US maritime fighting forces must continue to be "lethal, resilient, agile, and globally present, capable" of deterring conflict.

"If confirmed, I will relentlessly pursue full-spectrum readiness -- modernizing our fleet’s capabilities, scaling readiness capacity, and aggressively forging our resilient and resourceful sailors who bring all our combat power to life," Caudle told the senators.