Washington, D.C. โ Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding answers about reports that a routine missile test launch was delayed or canceled.
In part, Cotton wrote, โIโve heard reliable reports that this weekโs routine test launch of a Minuteman III missile was delayed or canceled. If accurate, this would be the second termination since February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.โ
โAre these reports accurate? If so, how long does the administration intend to allow Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to dictate our missile-test schedule?โ Cotton continued.
Text of the letter may be foundย hereย and below.
The Honorable Lloyd. J. Austin
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000ย
Secretary Austin,
Iโve heard reliable reports that this weekโs routine test launch of a Minuteman III missile was delayed or canceled. If accurate, this would be the second termination since February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Are these reports accurate? If so, how long does the administration intend to allow Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to dictate our missile-test schedule?
Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
United States Senate