The selection of the Secretary of Defense under President Trump’s administration is still undecided, with potential candidates reportedly including both well-known figures and officials who served in his first term.
According to reports from the Associated Press, potential candidates include Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who held a national security position during Trump’s first term.
Kellogg previously served as National Security Council Chief of Staff under Trump’s administration and has a close relationship with the President, making him a potential candidate for various national security-related positions.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was once considered but Trump stated on social media on Saturday, November 9th, that Pompeo will not be joining the new administration. Florida Representative Michael Waltz was also mentioned but has since been selected as Trump’s National Security Advisor.
During his campaign, Trump vowed to dismiss “woke” (radical) generals from the military. Current and former U.S. officials suggest that Trump, in his second term, will prioritize the candidates’ “loyalty” and dismiss military officers and career civil servants he deems unfit.
“I will fire them. You can’t have a woke military,” Trump previously expressed.
Trump’s Vice President-elect, J.D. Vance, stated in an interview with Tucker Carlson before the election, “If people in your own government won’t obey you, then you gotta get rid of them and get people in there who will respond to what the president wants to do.”
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comments.
Following Trump’s election, outgoing Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin acknowledged the election results in a message to the military, emphasizing that the military will follow “all lawful orders” from civilian leadership.
Trump hinted at the possibility of the U.S. military playing a significant role in his administration’s policy priorities. During the campaign, Kellogg presented a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine, involving negotiations between both parties and potentially excluding Ukraine’s NATO membership in the foreseeable future.