Senate Confirms Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate on July 23 confirmed Army Secretary Mark Esper to be secretary of defense, ending the longest period by far that the Pentagon has been without a permanent top official.

Secretary of Defense nominee, Mark Esper, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing in Washington, on July 16, 2019. Marovich/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate on July 23 confirmed Army Secretary Mark Esper to be secretary of defense, ending the longest period by far that the Pentagon has been without a permanent top official.

The Senate backed Esper, a former soldier and lobbyist for weapons maker Raytheon Co., to be President Donald Trump’s second confirmed leader of the Pentagon by 90-8.