NewsMilitary

Actions

New York Times: Former Virginia Senator Jim Webb being floated for defense secretary

Posted at 12:20 PM, Jan 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-04 12:20:58-05

Jim Webb, a former Democratic presidential hopeful, has been floated as a potential permanent replacement for Defense Secretary James Mattis by the Trump administration, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing three officials. 

Mattis stepped down from his role in December following President Donald Trump’s abrupt announcement that he is pulling troops out of Syria. He has been temporarily replaced by his former deputy, Patrick Shanahan.

Webb served as secretary of the Navy under former President Ronald Reagan, and represented Virginia in the US Senate. He launched a Democratic presidential bid in 2016.

One official told The Times that representatives for Vice President Mike Pence and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney reached out to Webb. Additionally, the paper reported that a senior Defense Department official said Webb’s name was in the mix.

The Times report notes that if Webb were tapped, the move would be seen as forgoing more hawkish Republican picks, since Webb was a vocal critic of the Iraq War.