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Defense News | Senate committee approves Esper and Milley to lead Pentagon, teeing up final vote
The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved President Donald Trump’s picks to the Pentagon’s top two spots: Army Secretary Mark Esper for defense secretary and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The panel confirmed the duo in separate voice votes Thursday during a closed meeting, which sets them up for Senate confirmation votes as soon as Thursday, but more likely next week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is expected to set the timing for their votes.
“I’m very pleased with Milley and Esper, and we need to get more [nominees],” SASC Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said after exiting the meeting. "I’ve said this to the White House so we can get more people to go through the [confirmation] process. I think we’ve made some headway today in getting it done; we did it the right way.”
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