Newly confirmed Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said Tuesday that her job is becoming more difficult due to the lack of confirmed Trump administration nominees.
Of six positions that must be confirmed by the Senate, the Air Force Department has four preferred candidates and is still interviewing for two of the jobs, Wilson told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
So far, none of those candidates has been officially nominated and sent to the Senate by the White House. Wilson said she was unsure when the nominations might be sent over for initial committee hearings.
“It is becoming difficult, yes,” Wilson said when asked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., whether the delays were impeding her ability to do her job.
President Trump has been slower than past administrations to nominate and fill key positions at the Defense Department and elsewhere in the federal government.
The president announced Friday he will nominate Richard V. Spencer to be Navy secretary but has yet to name a new Army secretary nominee after his second pick dropped out last month amid controversy.
“Where is the problem, in the White House?” Graham asked Wilson during the hearing.
“Sir, I don’t know,” Wilson replied.
