Barely two hours after his appointment as Acting Secretary of Defense was announced by President Trump on Tuesday, Mark Esper got strong backing from a most interesting source: Chuck Hagel, who served as Barack Obama’s secretary of defense from 2013-15.
“Mark Esper brings a broad background to the job,” Hagel told Newsmax, citing the nominee’s background as a Dean’s List student at West Point and as an infantry officer with the 101st Airborne Division (“Screaming Eagles”) during the Gulf War in 1990-91.
The former Pentagon boss noted Esper’s work for two U.S. Senators (including Hagel himself, who was a Repubican senator from Nebraska from 1996-2008).
Hagel, who still considers himself a Republican, was a vigorous “Never Trumper” in 2016.
He also praised Esper’s corporate background as a vice president of both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the defense contractor Raytheon and his most current assignment as secretary of the Army under Trump.
“The job of secretary of defense is multi-dimensional,” said Hagel, referring to the secretary “leading the Pentagon and the military, working with Congress, dealing with the White House and other agencies of government, foreign relations, the media, and other day-to-day responsibilities.”
“Mark is a good person,” he said, “He’s smart, works hard, and is totally committed to whatever he’s doing. He’ll do a good job.”
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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