Washington: Donald Trump has nominated Mark Esper to be the US Secretary of Defence, the White House said late Friday, as Washington navigates a spike in tensions with Iran. Esper was this week elevated to acting Pentagon chief from his post as Army Secretary. There hasn’t been a full defence secretary 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. Esper, who must be confirmed by the Senate, is the third man to lead the Pentagon in six months.
He replaces Patrick Shanahan, who also led the military in an acting capacity but this week withdrew his name from consideration for defence secretary after facing questions over his past personal life and an allegation of domestic violence. The new upheaval in what is one of the most powerful posts in the US government comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Unlike Shanahan, who had no military experience, 55-year-old Esper served in the 1991 Gulf War as part of the famous 101st Airborne Division of the US Army.
Esper will make his international debut at the meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels next week, the Department of Defence said. Esper had been a senior executive at the Raytheon defence firm for seven years when he was tapped by Trump to be Army Secretary in 2017. — AFP
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