The Trump administration has reportedly offered former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’ job to multiple candidates, but they’ve all rejected the administration’s advances.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., were approached, along with former senator Jon Kyl and the director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, sources told Foreign Policy‘s Lara Seligman. Jack Keane, a retired four-star general and Fox News Channel analyst, also passed.
Graham’s spokesperson said the South Carolina senator has “repeatedly, publicly said he has ZERO interest in any Administration job.” Cotton’s spokesperson did not respond to the magazine’s request for comment, and Kyl declined to comment.
Two sources close to Coats or his staff said he had declined the offer, but a spokesperson for the office of the director of national intelligence denied the White House had approached Coats. “The White House has not discussed this position with the DNI,” the spokesperson said.
Experts say the apathy toward the high-level position stems from the challenges that accompany it, including a low salary and lack of job security.
“The sacrifices associated with becoming secretary of defense deter most qualified candidates,” Loren Thompson, chief operating officer of the Lexington Institute, told Foreign Policy.
“The president’s mercurial personality has simply exacerbated the drawbacks,” he added.
Even so, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has signaled she may be interested in the position.
“I serve here at the pleasure of the president and with the confirmation of the Senate, and I think that’s probably where I am,” Wilson told Politico’s “Women Rule” podcast last week. She didn’t rule out the possibility of becoming the nation’s first female defense secretary. “I think that’s up to the president of the United States and the United States Senate.” But for now, Air Force spokesman Brig. Gen. Ed Thomas said Wilson “remains focused on building a more lethal and ready Air Force and advancing other important Air Force priorities.”
Patrick Shanahan, who has been acting secretary since Mattis resigned in December, would like to make his position permanent and, according to anonymous sources, has the traits President Trump, national security adviser John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo most value: “loyalty and compliance.”
“Pompeo, Bolton, [acting chief of staff Mick] Mulvaney like Shanahan, because he has no policy experience and won’t challenge them,” a former senior administration official told Foreign Policy. “The White House is happy to keep Shanahan as acting. With him at the helm, there is no chance of any resistance from DoD.” Another former government official said, “They are not looking for another Jim Mattis.”
But although Shanahan is a favorite in the White House and the administration, sources said he’d find little support among the senators who would have to confirm him. “I was a supporter. Now I’m an adversary,” Graham told Shanahan this past weekend at the Munich Security Conference. Graham was angry that Shanahan confirmed he would carry out Trump’s order to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Mattis resigned over that decision.
