Trump Will Tap Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan To Head Pentagon

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26: Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing regarding the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the ... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26: Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing regarding the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense, March 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump has asked for a Pentagon budget of over 700 billion dollars for the 2020 budget. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) MORE LESS

May 9, 2019 4:12 p.m.

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President Trump will nominate Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to permanently lead the Defense Department, the White House announced in a statement Thursday.

The decision was “based upon his outstanding service to the country and his demonstrated ability to lead,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in the statement.

Shanahan — a Trump loyalist who has ties to Boeing — was tapped to lead the department on an interim basis after former Secretary Jim Mattis resigned in December.

President Trump intends to nominate Patrick M. Shanahan as Secretary of Defense. pic.twitter.com/RaOXb09qMr

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) May 9, 2019

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Nicole Lafond (@Nicole_Lafond) is TPM’s deputy editor, based in New York. She has also worked as the special projects editor and as a senior newswriter for TPM. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and previously covered education in central Illinois.

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old_curmudgeon says:

May 9, 2019

He couldn’t find anyone else who’d take the job.
formerchild says:

May 9, 2019

Secretary of Boeing.
maximus says:

May 9, 2019

Here comes the Pentagon redecorating bill. Gold plated everything, so Dotard feels right at home.
paul_lukasiak says:

May 9, 2019

President Trump intends to nominate Patrick M. Shanahan as Secretary of Defense.

How comes its not “is nominating”? or “will nominate”? Why is it only “intends to nomination”?

I mean, the guy has been serving in the Pentagon for close to two years. Was confirmed by the senate for the Deputy job 92-7. Why do they need to equivocate?
ralph_vonholst says:

May 9, 2019

Looks like he’ll be broken in right quickly, … as pirate king.

US seizes North Korean coal ship for violating sanctions

BBC News

US seizes North Korean coal ship

The US says the vessel was used to violate sanctions and comes amid rising tensions between the two.

The vessel, the Wise Honest, was first seized last year and the US filed a seizure warrant in July 2018.
Indonesia has handed over the ship, and it is now on its way to the US.
US officials stressed that the announcement had nothing to do with the North Korean tests.
“Our office uncovered North Korea’s scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest,” said US prosecutor Geoffrey S Berman.

Arrrghhh! Ha harrrgh!