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Defense secretary

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Jun 18

Shanahan drops bid to lead Pentagon, citing ‘painful’ past

By Lolita Baldor, Associated Press

After months of unexplained delays, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan stepped down Tuesday before his formal nomination ever went to the Senate, citing a family situation that would hurt his children and reopen "wounds we have worked years to heal."…

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Jun 18

Trump says Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan withdraws his nomination

By Molly Finnegan

"Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who has done a wonderful job, has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family," President Trump wrote on Twitter.

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May 09

Trump to nominate Acting Secretary Shanahan for top Pentagon post

By Robert Burns, Associated Press

The former Boeing executive has been leading the Pentagon as acting secretary since Jan. 1, a highly unusual arrangement for arguably the most sensitive Cabinet position.

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Jan 06

Former Defense Secretary Harold Brown dies at 91

By Associated Press

Harold Brown, who as defense secretary in the Carter administration championed cutting-edge fighting technology during a tenure that included the failed rescue of hostages in Iran, has died at age 91.

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Dec 24

Watch 8:38
Troop drawdowns and Defense Dept. turnover leave U.S. foreign policy in flux

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has signed the order withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria. Meanwhile, President Trump wants to reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan by half. But what will the decreased U.S. military presence in these countries mean…

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Dec 20

Watch 6:14
Defense Secretary Mattis resigns, citing differences over the role of alliances

A day after President Trump announced a surprise decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, Secretary of Defense James Mattis submitted his resignation, which will take effect in February. The Wall Street Journal’s Michael Gordon joins Judy Woodruff to discuss…

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Dec 20

Read James Mattis’ full resignation letter

By Daniel Bush

In his resignation letter, Defense Secretary James Mattis appeared to point to his policy differences with President Donald Trump, who has frequently clashed with U.S. allies.

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Dec 02

Trump to nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to lead Pentagon

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to be his defense secretary. Mattis, 66, is a Marine Corps general who retired in 2013 after serving as the commander of the U.S. Central Command. Trump made the…

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Jan 14

U.S. sailors made navigational error in Iran, defense chief says

By Robert Burns, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

TAMPA, Florida — Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Thursday it appears a navigational error caused the crews of two Navy boats to stray into Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf, where they were detained overnight by Iran and released.

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Dec 03

Watch 9:58
Full Interview: Ash Carter on a military turning point for women in combat

By PBS News Hour

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