A Former Democratic Senator Among Options for U.S. Secretary of Defense

The New York Times reported on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering several options for the position of Secretary of Defense, including the appointment of Jim Webb, a former Democratic senator. The report cites an unnamed official stating that U.S. government officials have been in contact with Mr. Webb regarding the potential appointment. Following the resignation of James Mattis from the Department of Defense last month, Mr. Trump appointed Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, as the acting Secretary of Defense. While Mr. Mattis had expressed willingness to continue until the end of January, Mr. Shanahan began work on January 1. The reason for James Mattis's resignation from the Department of Defense, which came just a day after Trump's announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, was reported to be his disagreement with the President on certain policies, with Mr. Mattis stating that it is Mr. Trump's right to have a Secretary of Defense aligned with his views. Jim Webb, a former Democratic senator from Virginia who served from 2007 to 2013, previously held a position overseeing maritime affairs within the Department of Defense during Ronald Reagan's administration for a few months. He has a background serving in the Vietnam War and was among the Democratic primary candidates in the 2016 presidential election, which ultimately led to Donald Trump's presidency. According to the New York Times, in addition to Jim Webb, two Republican senators, Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham, as well as former Republican senator Jim Talent, are also considered for the Secretary of Defense position. The White House has yet to respond to the New York Times report, and Jim Webb has not responded to the newspaper's request for comment on the matter.