Tuberville Questions General Mahoney on AI, Military Housing, and Defense Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 13, 2025

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) engaged in a pointed and wide-ranging dialogue with General Christopher J. Mahoney, President Trump's nominee to serve as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week. The exchange touched on emerging technologies, military infrastructure, acquisition reform, and fiscal accountability-underscoring the strategic challenges facing the Department of Defense.

Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing

Tuberville opened his remarks by building on a previous discussion about artificial intelligence and quantum computing, emphasizing the urgency of technological parity with adversaries.

"Future conflicts will be dominated by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies like quantum computing," Tuberville said. "There's basically two quantum computing models-gate and annealing. We only use one of them, and our adversaries use the other. Do you think that's a smart way to handle this?"

General Mahoney responded by affirming the growing role of AI in modern warfare.

"Artificial intelligence, algorithmic-derived systems... if cyber has just become part of the normal warfighting domain, AI is not too far behind," Mahoney said. "We don't need to look far to see how it's being applied-especially in the Russia-Ukraine example."

Military Housing and Infrastructure

Tuberville then pivoted to a more immediate concern: deteriorating living conditions on U.S. military bases.

"We've spent trillions of dollars on wars, but we can't house our people properly. We have mold, roofs falling in, kids getting sick. But we can spend hundreds of billions on another country," Tuberville said. "We're an all-volunteer army. Will you commit to helping solve this problem?"

Mahoney pledged his support, referencing the Marine Corps' Barracks 2030 initiative:

"We have to get back into the installations and resilience business," he said. "It's an expectation among our service members to have quality infrastructure. And it's also a power projection platform-we must invest in it."

Acquisition Reform and JROC Leadership

Tuberville pressed Mahoney on the dismantling of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), a move directed by Secretary Pete Hegseth to streamline defense acquisition.

"This slow, bureaucratic process has held us back. As Vice Chairman, this change will largely be your responsibility. How will you ensure a rapid and agile system that delivers combat capabilities to the warfighter?"

Mahoney outlined his vision for reform:

"We need end-to-end systems treatment-from requirements to meaningful resources, with acquisition built in," he said. "If it's three gears-requirements, acquisition, resources-they all need to move together. And we need to quicken all those gears."

He proposed shifting the traditional acquisition metrics from "cost, schedule, and performance" to "speed, cost, and performance."

Fiscal Accountability and Clean Audits

Tuberville closed with a question about fiscal transparency, praising the Marine Corps for its clean audit record and asking how Mahoney would apply those lessons to the broader Department of Defense.

"One of the many things the Marine Corps does better than any other service is the ability to pass an audit. What lessons do you bring to help the Department achieve a clean audit?"

Mahoney responded with confidence

"Organization is the key to victory. I'm proud the Marine Corps had two clean opinions-you heard it here first, we'll have a third. And I'll press to move the Department out of disclaimer and toward a clean audit."

Tuberville's Role and Focus

Senator Tuberville, who represents Alabama, serves on the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees. His questioning reflected a blend of strategic foresight and grassroots concern-balancing national defense priorities with the lived realities of service members and their families.

The hearing offered a glimpse into the evolving defense landscape, where technological innovation, infrastructure investment, and bureaucratic reform are converging under new leadership. If confirmed, General Mahoney will play a pivotal role in shaping the Joint Chiefs' response to these challenges.