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Daily on Defense

Mark Esper’s sprint to confirmation starts as Pentagon’s third acting chief takes over

By Jamie McIntyre
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Mark Esper’s sprint to confirmation starts as Pentagon’s third acting chief takes over

IT’S SHOWTIME: At precisely 3:04 p.m. yesterday, Mark Esper reverted to being the secretary of the Army and officially became the nominee to serve as the second defense secretary of President Trump’s administration. That’s when Esper’s nomination paperwork was transmitted to the U.S. Senate — a mere 18 hours before his scheduled confirmation hearing before the Armed Services Committee this morning.

It was a carefully choreographed dance designed to ensure the tenure of the Pentagon’s third acting defense secretary, Richard Spencer, is as short as possible, which hinges on Esper winning quick confirmation.

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