Acting SecDef Shanahan Out. Meet Acting SecDef Dr. Mark T. Esper, Secretary of the Army
Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan was formally sworn into office mid August 2017by U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis at the Pentagon. Following the ceremony, the deputy secretary and his family toured Arlington National Cemetery, visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and meeting with the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).
After SecDef James Mattis resigned, Shanahan was appointed as acting SecDef.
Today, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan asked to be withdrawn from consideration for Secretary of Defense and will resign his position as Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Read his statement here:
Statement From Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
It has been a deep honor and privilege to serve our country alongside the men and women of the Department of Defense.
I am proud of the work accomplished over the last two years. With the leadership of President Trump and the bipartisan support of Congress, the Department has made significant progress rebuilding and modernizing the military to compete with China and Russia. We are developing capabilities that will ensure American military leadership for decades to come in space, cyber, hypersonic missiles, and much more. We have focused the leadership team on delivering results and making real change at scale.
The Department is well postured to provide for our long-term security. The men and women of the Department of Defense are remarkable and epitomize patriotism at the highest level. I have the greatest confidence in our civilian and military leaders and the vitality of the institution.
The confirmation process should focus on securing our nation against threats, readiness and the future of our military, and ensuring the highest quality care and support for service members and their families. After having been confirmed for Deputy Secretary less than two years ago, it is unfortunate that a painful and deeply personal family situation from long ago is being dredged up and painted in an incomplete and therefore misleading way in the course of this process. I believe my continuing in the confirmation process would force my three children to relive a traumatic chapter in our family’s life and reopen wounds we have worked years to heal. Ultimately, their safety and well-being is my highest priority.
I would welcome the opportunity to be Secretary of Defense, but not at the expense of being a good father.
After significant reflection, I have asked to be withdrawn from consideration for Secretary of Defense and will resign my position as Deputy Secretary of Defense. I will coordinate an appropriate transition plan to ensure that the men and women in harm’s way receive all the support they need to continue protecting our great nation.
Trump has named Army Secretary Mark Esper acting defense secretary.
Dr. Mark T. Esper was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Nov. 15, 2017, and sworn in as the 23rd secretary of the U.S. Army, Nov. 20, 2017.
As secretary, he has statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the U.S. Army, to include the recruitment, organization, training, equipping, and care of 1.4 million active duty, National Guard, Reserve Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and their Families.
For the past seven years, Esper was a senior executive at the Raytheon Company as vice president for Government Relations. From 2008-2010, Esper served concurrently as executive vice president for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center and as vice president for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. From 2006-2007 he served as COO and executive vice president of Defense and International Affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association.
Esper also has extensive experience working on Capitol Hill. He served as national security advisor for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist; policy director for the House Armed Services Committee; and as a professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations and Government Affairs Committees where he was responsible for national security issues. Esper also served as the legislative director and senior policy advisor to Senator Chuck Hagel.
His Pentagon experience includes serving as the deputy assistant secretary of defense (Negotiations Policy) in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and earlier on the Army staff as a war planner. Esper was also chief of staff of the Heritage Foundation, and taught at Missouri State University’s Department of Defense and Strategic Studies program in Fairfax, Virginia.
Esper is a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and received his commission in the Infantry. Upon completion of Ranger and Pathfinder training, he served in the Regular Army for over a decade, including service in the 1990-1991 Gulf War with the 101st Airborne Division. He later commanded an airborne rifle company in Europe. Following active duty, he served in both the Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard, and Army Reserve before retiring in 2007.
Esper holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a doctorate in Public Policy from George Washington University.
He is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Among his military awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal – Saudi Arabia, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Esper and his wife Leah have been married for 28 years and have three adult children.