MARCHING ORDERS

Senate Confirms First Ever Woman Army Secretary—Again

Within the space of a few hours, Christine Wormuth was confirmed, unconfirmed, and then officially confirmed to the Army’s top civilian post.

Christine Wormuth made a bit of history Wednesday night when the Senate installed her as the first ever woman to take up the U.S. Army’s top civilian post—until officials reversed her confirmation in a matter of hours. But on Thursday morning, the Senate reversed course yet again, announcing her confirmation for good. In a very unusual set of announcements in the Senate, it was first confirmed that Wormuth would take up the role of Army secretary, then Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer said that the historic confirmation had been reversed. Schumer hasn’t explained the u-turn and, according to the Army Times, he deleted a tweet that congratulated Wormuth on her new job. A Senate Armed Services Committee aide said the confusion appeared to be a “mix up on the floor.” But now, Wormuth is set to start as Army secretary, and Biden is expected to release the official budget for national security later this week, according to the Army Times.