President Trump to Nominate Patrick M. Shanahan as Defense Secretary: White House

President Trump to Nominate Patrick M. Shanahan as Defense Secretary: White House
Acting Secretary of Defence Patrick M. Shanahan speaks during a joined statement with the German Defence Minister after the D-ISIS meeting of defence minsters at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof prior to the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany, on Feb. 15, 2019. Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images
Venus Upadhayaya
Updated:

President Donald Trump intends to nominate acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan as the new Secretary of Defense, according to a White House press release.

“Based upon his outstanding service to the Country and his demonstrated ability to lead, President Trump intends to nominate Patrick M. Shanahan to be the Secretary of Defense,” said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.

Shanahan has previously served as deputy secretary of defense and vice president of supply chain and operations at Boeing.

“Acting Secretary Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and he will continue to do an excellent job,” said Sanders in the statement.

Shortly after the announcement, Shanahan issued a statement saying he was “honored” to be chosen as the Pentagon’s permanent head.

“If confirmed by the Senate, I will continue the aggressive implementation of our National Defense Strategy,” Shanahan said.

In another Tweet, he said: “I remain committed to modernizing the force so our remarkable Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines have everything they need to keep our military lethal and our country safe.”

Speaking to reporters after his nomination, Shanahan expressed much enthusiasm. “I called my mom…I’m very excited,” he said.

Shanahan took over the job in an acting capacity following the December resignation of Gen. Jim Mattis, who left the administration over a series of policy differences with Trump, particularly over the President’s initial decision to withdraw US troops from Syria.

President Donald Trump is welcomed by acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan during his arrival at the Pentagon on March 15, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is welcomed by acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan during his arrival at the Pentagon on March 15, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

While Mattis had intended to stay on until the end of February, in part to allow time for his successor to be named and confirmed, Trump, reportedly angry over the coverage of Mattis’s resignation, decided to cut the transition period short, thrusting Shanahan into the role on Jan. 1.

Shanahan cleared a major hurdle blocking him from becoming Trump’s nominee last month when the Department of Defense’s Inspector General cleared him of allegations that he violated ethics agreements by promoting the interests of his former employer, Boeing.

CNN Wire Service Content contributed to this report.
Venus Upadhayaya
Venus Upadhayaya
Reporter
Venus Upadhayaya reports on India, China, and the Global South. Her traditional area of expertise is in Indian and South Asian geopolitics. Community media, sustainable development, and leadership remain her other areas of interest.
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