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Acting Pentagon chief Shanahan exits after confirmation woes
US President Donald Trump says his pick for defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, has withdrawn, leaving the Pentagon without a permanent boss for more than six months just as tensions soar in the Middle East.
Shanahan “has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family,” Trump tweets after Shanahan faced questions over his past personal life and an allegation of domestic violence.
….I thank Pat for his outstanding service and will be naming Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to be the new Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019
Trump says the army secretary, Mark Esper, will come in as acting secretary of defense.
There hasn’t been a full secretary of defense since the resignation of James Mattis in December last year after splits in the administration over Trump’s sudden decision to remove US troops from Syria.
— AFP
