{"id":29356,"date":"2020-04-28T15:10:35","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T15:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/04\/28\/senators-blast-espers-dysfunctional-decision-making-on-coronavirus\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:22:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:22:20","slug":"senators-blast-espers-dysfunctional-decision-making-on-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2020\/04\/28\/senators-blast-espers-dysfunctional-decision-making-on-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators blast Esper\u2019s \u2018dysfunctional decision-making\u2019 on coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 A group of 10 Democratic senators have issued a new letter blasting Defense Secretary Mark Esper for \u201cdysfunctional decision-making\u201d in how the Pentagon has tackled the coronavirus pandemic \u2014 with the Pentagon offering unusually strong pushback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In it, the senators express \u201cgrave concern\u201d about how Defense Department leadership has handled the disease, writing: \u201cCivilian leadership of the Department has failed to act sufficiently quickly<\/a>, and has often prioritized readiness at the expense of the health of servicemembers and their families<\/a>. This failure has adversely affected morale, and, despite the Department\u2019s best intentions, undermined readiness<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter was signed by Senate Armed Services Committee members Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, as well as Kamala Harris of California, Patty Murray of Washington, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Ed Markey of Massachusetts.<\/p>\n\n\n\t