Who’s Richard Spenser?
And does his placement in the role have any bearing on military tribunals?
Navy secretary temporarily takes over Pentagon’s top job ahead of Esper confirmation hearing
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer strode into the defense secretary’s office at the Pentagon on Monday afternoon, in a symbolic changing of responsibility that will allow current Army Secretary Mark Esper to make his case to Congress for promotion to the Defense Department’s top job.
Esper, who has been serving as acting defense secretary since late June, stepped down Monday afternoon just after 3 p.m., once his nomination was formally received by the Senate. He is due in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning.
“We are committed to transparency throughout this process,” DoD chief of staff Eric Chewning told reporters. “The American people deserve to know there’s only one secretary of defense and that person is fully capable of defending the country and protecting our homeland.”
The move makes Spencer the third acting defense secretary on the books this year, after former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’s December resignation upgraded then-Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. Shahanan withdrew his SECDEF nomination and stepped down from his Pentagon career in late June, after which Esper moved from Army secretary to acting SECDEF.
“While my time in this role is anticipated to be brief, I am fully prepared and committed to serve as acting secretary of defense, and I will provide continuity in the leadership of the department,” Spencer wrote in a memo to DoD personnel.