U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) told Fox News that Mark Esper is a “great” nominee for Secretary of Defense and mentioned that he was a fellow classmate at West Point even as details emerge of what happened to the nomination of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan.
Shockwaves were felt when President Donald Trump announced that Shanahan would not seek the job on a permanent basis, leading to Esper being nominated.
Shanahan withdrew his name after reports surfaced of an alleged domestic abuse incident with his ex-wife almost a decade ago, Bloomberg reported.
“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.,” Shanahan said in a statement. “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.”
The Trump Administration never submitted formal paperwork needed to start Shanahan’s confirmation to the Senate, Government Executive reported. There were rumors that the president was backing off or that something was delaying the background check.
Now that Esper is the nominee, Green is lending his support.
Green appeared Tuesday on Fox News’ “Outnumbered OT” to discuss the development. Green sits on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security.
The video is available here.
“I think that Mark will do a fantastic job,” Green told Melissa Francis, adding that he has done a good job as Secretary of the Army.
“I think he gets what’s going on in the world, and he understands the DoD’s role,” he said.
Green is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and was on the mission to capture Saddam Hussein, according to a press release. He interrogated Hussein for 6 hours the night he was captured.
Trump on Tuesday tweeted, “Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who has done a wonderful job, has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family….”
Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who has done a wonderful job, has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019
The president also tweeted, “….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!”
….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
Dr. Mark T. Esper was sworn in as the 23rd secretary of the U.S. Army, Nov. 20, 2017, according to his biography. For the past seven years, Esper was a senior executive at the Raytheon Company as vice president for Government Relations. He served as national security advisor for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Background Photo “Mark Green-Fox News” by Mark Green.
