Mark Esper, Trump's Defense secretary: Inside Pentagon budget and priorities
Mark Esper was confirmed as the new U.S. Secretary of Defense in a vote on Tuesday, where he will focus on bolstering the country's military and security as the department is expected to receive a bump in funding next fiscal year.
Esper has been working as acting Secretary of Defense since last month.
In June, Esper said the department’s priorities remained “unchanged.” In a document he wrote, he outlined the top areas of focus for the Pentagon, which included:
- Build a more lethal force: Continue to build up readiness and ensure the U.S. is fully prepared for war
- Strengthen alliances and attract new partners: In order to help deter conflict, the U.S. should continue to grow relationships
- Reform the department for greater performance and affordability: Look for ways to improve effectiveness, innovate and take risks when necessary
During a speech on Tuesday, President Trump mentioned that his administration was giving “record funding” to the U.S. military, as it renovated and ramped up the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Under a budget deal announced on Monday, the military would get a 3 percent increase in funding for fiscal 2020 – which is equal to about $738 billion.
In a statement released after the budget deal was announced, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said he was “disappointed that the topline total for defense funding is not $750 billion.” He added, however, that he was “relieved” that the agreed-upon total was more than Democrats wanted to provide.
Trump on Tuesday also doubled down on the progress being made to build a wall along the country’s southern border, despite obstacles his administration has run into where funding is concerned. He noted that he has approval to renovate certain areas of the wall, which has been ongoing.
Esper was confirmed in a Senate vote on Tuesday, by a margin of 90-8. Among the people who voted against his nomination were a handful of Democratic 2020 hopefuls, including Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
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A West Point graduate, Esper also served as an executive at Raytheon. He had previously held the role of Secretary of the Army under President Trump.