Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has spent the past six months in limbo.
Shanahan became the acting head of the Defense Department in January, and President Trump announced his intention to nominate him for the full role about a month ago. Yet Shanahan is still waiting for an official nomination to the post, and it may be because Trump is looking to swap him for someone else, NBC News reports.
Trump gave Shanahan some blandly high praise when announcing his intention to nominate him as defense secretary last month, and it seems the president's enthusiasm has only waned from there. While in Normandy for a D-Day remembrance ceremony last week, Trump "asked at least three people what they thought of Shanahan and if they had any suggestions for different candidates." four people tell NBC News. Army Secretary Mark Esper, who Trump previously discussed as a possible DOD secretary nominee, was reportedly mentioned.
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NBC News asked Trump on Tuesday about Shanahan's nomination, and Trump responded by saying he "put it out officially" a few weeks ago, but Shanahan still "has to go through the process." Still, White House officials reportedly said Trump would send Shanahan's official nomination to Congress back on May 18, while two defense officials thought it was coming last week, NBC News reports.
It's not unusual for Trump to change his mind on nominees or even withdraw them once they've already been sent to Congress — take Herman Cain and Ron Vitiello, for example.
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