U.S. President Donald Trump (L) listens next to Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan during a Cabinet meeting on day 12 of the partial U.S. government shutdown at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 2, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young
Reuters: For Shanahan, a very public debut in Trump's cabinet
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Patrick Shanahan was thrust into the spotlight during his debut as acting U.S. defense secretary on Wednesday, sitting next to President Donald Trump as he publicly disparaged Shanahan’s predecessor, lampooned the war in Afghanistan and called Syria a land of “sand” and “death.”
The former deputy defense secretary officially took office during the New Year’s holiday on Tuesday, issuing a statement saying that he looked “forward to working with President Trump to carry out his vision.”
Trump’s vision for the second half of his four-year term in office came into view on Wednesday as he spoke exhaustively during a cabinet meeting about America’s wars, and his displeasure with them. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, sat silently at Trump’s side, often expressionless, as television cameras rolled.
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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 3, 2019
New Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan Calls China His Top Priority -- Military.com
Trump calls it 'insane' to publicly release military watchdog reports -- The Hill
Acting defense secretary recuses himself from anything having to do with Boeing, which is a lot of things -- The Week
Pentagon's top financial officer to take over No. 2 post at department -- The Hill
Pentagon comptroller to serve as acting deputy defense secretary -- Defense News
White House considering Jim Webb as Mattis replacement: report -- The Hill
U.S. Military May Be Targeted by Its Own Missiles in Middle East -- Newsweek
US Withdrawal Plan from Afghanistan Won't Include SOF Strike Units -- Military.com
US to Keep Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan - Reports -- Sputnik
Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan sees peace opportunity in 2019 -- Reuters
Raytheon tapped for configuration work on Super Hornets, Growlers -- UPI
How the Military Is Making Sure the F-35 Can Fight the Wars of the Future -- National Interest
The U.S. Military Eyes 'Bigger, Badder, Faster' Helicopter to Replace the Mighty Blackhawk -- Maxim
US Air Force’s ‘base in a box’ plan hampered by lack of management -- Defense News
New in 2019: Growing the force — the road to 386 squadrons -- Air Force Times
Navy gives go-ahead for block buy of two Ford-class aircraft carriers -- UPI
New in 2019: From tanks to Strykers, major brigade combat team conversions are coming this year -- Army Times
New in 2019: The Army and Marines will test-fire next-gen weapon prototypes this summer -- Military Times
Two in Three US Military Women Say They Have Been Sexually Assaulted or Harassed -- Daily Beast
Majority of women in US military say they have been sexually harassed or assaulted in service -- The Independent
Former CIA officer indicted for Chinese spying had accomplice -- NBC
Quality over quantity: U.S. military strategy and spending in the Trump years -- James N. Miller and Michael E. O’Hanlon, Brookings
Special Breed: Handling a Military Working Dog -- US Department of Defense
US Aims to Expand Military Partnerships in South America -- DoD Buzz
US Delegation Offers Turkey Patriot Air Defence Systems Deal - Reports -- Sputnik
Germany picks up two thorny defense and diplomacy assignments in 2019 -- Defence News
South Korea, Japan spar over maritime aircraft incident -- UPI
Japan to step up research on high-output military laser -- Japan Times
Mexico looks to recruit 50,000 to National Guard -- AP
British army calling on 'snowflakes,' 'binge gamers' to join -- UPI
