Trump makes Esper pick official; Navy chief fills Pentagon gap
WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump sent Mark Esper's nomination to lead the Pentagon to the Senate on Monday, moving to fill a key gap on his national security team as the U.S. juggles foreign policy crises from Iran to Venezuela.
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer will fill in as acting secretary of defense for Esper, who's barred by law from serving simultaneously as the acting Pentagon chief and the nominee for the permanent job. Although Spencer is expected to fill the top post only for a short time, he's the fourth Pentagon chief to serve under Trump since his inauguration in 2017.
"Secretary Spencer has the full authority and responsibility of the secretary of defense," Jonathan Hoffman, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement. "The senior team supporting the Office of the Secretary remains in place to ensure institutional continuity."
Esper, a 55-year-old former Raytheon Co. lobbyist who has served as Army secretary since 2017, will have his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
The shakeup comes after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stepped down in December over disagreements with Trump's Syria policy and his commitment to U.S. alliances. Mattis's deputy, Patrick Shanahan, became acting secretary but withdrew from contention for the permanent post last month after allegations of domestic violence in his family emerged.
_ Bloomberg News
