So it appears that the STOVL variant of the F-35 program is a sticking point. As a result there may be a move to drop the B to focus on the A/C variants. While this would be a logical decision for the program managers to make, it creates a hole in the ability of a The Marines to field the Combined Arms that are so critical to our effectiveness, and the overall expeditionary strategy employed.
If I was POTUS, I think I would be discretely messaging the Sec Def that this particular variant is not on the cut list. You can delay the program to get the A and C variants fielded sooner but, B has to be completed and fielded with x months of the acceptance of the first production A and Cs.
Without going into all the details, and a long paper on justifying that position I offer you these two visuals.
One thing I know from all of the systems engineering and integration programs that I have been involved in, deploying something that removes current capabilities is a recipe for failure.