Shanahan out: Acting defense secretary withdraws his confirmation bid

Shanahan out: Acting defense secretary withdraws his confirmation bid

www.militarytimes.com...

It appears that temporary Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has withdrawn his candidacy to be Trump's Defense Secretary.

Citing domestic problems, Shanahan says he needs fo focus on these situations in his family.

Yahoo News reported that FBI officials were looking into allegations of domestic violence involving Shanahan and his ex-wife as part of their review, but just hours before his withdrawal from the confirmation process Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., cautioned against delving too deeply into those allegations.

This family problem seems a tender subject and I will not go into the where's and wherefore's of it validity. However if they are severe enough for him to withdraw his candidacy, does this speak well of Trump's vetting system for his cabinet secretaries that he could not have found someone with a more stable situation to take over this vital position?

this move not only leaves continued uncertainty at the top Defense Department post but also creates another service secretary vacancy. Trump announced that Army Secretary Army Mark Esper will step in as the new acting Secretary of Defense.

My questions here are multiple. One, at this time of increasing tensions in the middle east are we witnessing chaos at the top of our national defense system.
My other question is who is this Mark Esper. There has been speculation here on ATS that Trump has been having trouble in finding people to fill his posts that are NOT already entrenched members of the ''deep state''. Here is one that asks this question about William Barr

www.abovetopsecret.com...

So my question here is, as I know little about Mark Esper, what to members here think of this fellow as our new Defense Secretary at this crucial time in Trump's presidency. Is he or is he not a ''deep state actor''?

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

It’s too bad that anyone and everyone in the Trump administration has been targeted by the evil insane leftists.

a reply to: DBCowboy

You have nothing more to add Cowboy other than the routine it's all the leftist's fault?

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I don’t know who’s fault it is, just stating the obvious.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Is he or is he not a ''deep state actor''?

I think that just means anti Trump these days.

I think there are some who are deeply entrenched in the establishment who serve interests other than constituents. Some of them seem to be in this admin.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Certainly this term is loosely defined as you point out. It is generally how I understand it as far as the political sphere goes though more I consider the ''deep state'' to be what used to be called the ''establishment'' meaning all those who are entrenched with moving forward with the over all governmental corporate structure.

Don't worry the Dems turn to be completely humiliated and sued into the poor house over petty politics is coming. It's only a matter of time and the standard has been set. I'm sure Trump will find another defense secretary very soon.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

are we witnessing chaos at the top of our national defense system

I don't know if I would call it chaos.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

What I want to know is how the hell he got as high as he did if they're just finding this now. He should have had multiple, extensive background checks prior to now.

As to him leaving the office, good riddance.

a reply to: butcherguy

Well, OK. Maybe not chaos but here we have the cabinet level secretary position vacant at what we are told is a crucial point in his administration. These tense military situations continually arise though all administrations but this one is being touted as the first one that threatens immediate military actions. And sure, Pompeo is now the ''face'' of what is going on over there but there seem to be only he and Trump to make decisions. Which leaves us with Esper, the new nominee. Will he or will he not act in a manner that not only secures the situation but as well does it in a manner that does not just support the old ''deep state' ' agenda that Trump claims to want to drain?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Some of the things about him, and his loyalty to Boeing kind of rubbed me the wrong way. He kind of came off as a douche, so I'm not heart broken on this one... Those were my personal feelings, I have no idea how he would have done his job, which is all that matters at the end of the day.

But someone on that position has got to have some composure. If he was loose enough to (allegedly) go off on a woman, I don't think that's a good quality in this capacity.

a reply to: Middleoftheroad

Your reply does not add at all to the topic at hand. What you have done is only to deflect from this topic and direct it to the old hack about how much you hate the democrats. This issue is not about democrats but rather the Republican president and his nominees and cabinet members who have been brought into national service at Trump's behest.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I do hope that it will be someone who doesn't appear to be the establishment type, that type from both parties tends to have hawkish policy baked in.

Unpopular opinion, I say he offers it to Tulsi Gabbard. I know she's in the running for Presidency, but her chances look slim. This would bolster her resume and give her a better shot for 2024 where she would likely do better anyways. It would benefit the Trump admin by delivering some balance, extending an olive branch across the aisle.... And best of all, she can prove to us just how anti-war she is, and how she could do so with effectiveness.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I agree. His nomination has been before the congress for quite a while. I say good riddance as well but like you I have to wonder just how has it been allowed to go on for so long in addition to just what does it say about Trump's promise to bring on only the''best people'' to help him in governing our nation.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

It's not really empty though. It's not a permanent position but it's got a person in the position that will do the same job.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I don't know if there is or isn't anything there between him and his ex-wife. After the Kavanaugh circus I don't blame the guy for not wanting to put his family through anything like it. You never know what an ex is going to say and the way the media is these days.......

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Man Stinker, what a twist that would be huh? Gabbard . I"m gonna need some time to ruminate on that one. Would it piss off Republicans? Likely it would not piss off Democrats as as you say at this point she appears to be a long shot in 2020. However were he do do so, would she? We know she does not care for him but then again she has come out stating that she opposes impeachment. And were he to move in this direction and she to take it, wow, would that ever turn the spotlight on her and her possible choices in 2020.

Might she jump to the Republican Party and possibly be a candidate for VP or maybe it might garner her enough public awareness that she might form up with some others and make a third party run in 2020. At this point she is still enough of an enigma that I could not even guess, but again, Stinker, that's some outta the box stuff you bring up. Thanks.

Looks like his "domestic problems" weren't "Defensive" enough 😆

Shanahan's statement www.usatoday.com...

"After having been confirmed for deputy secretary less than two years ago, it is unfortunate that such a painful and deeply personal family situation from long ago is being dredged up and painted in an incomplete and therefore misleading way as a result of this nomination process. Though my marriage ended in sorrow and disappointment, I never laid a hand on my then-wife and cooperated fully in a thorough law enforcement investigation that resulted in her being charged with assault against me—charges which I had dropped in the interest of my family. Our story is not dissimilar to those of the many families facing the difficult challenges that come when a loved one struggles with substance abuse and other emotional issues as is the case with my former-wife. I wish nothing but the best for her and regret that my children’s privacy has been violated and they are being forced to relive a tragic situation that we have worked so hard as a family to put behind us."

The FBI has been investigating this incident. It sounds to me like he doesn't want his children dragged through mud.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

More than one person that I talk to noticed how when he got up in the ranks at the Pentagon, especially after he took over as acting SecDef, Boeing suddenly got every contract in sight, including a couple that the Air Force wasn't pushing for.