New officials sworn in at DOD

By Tony Bertuca / March 15, 2021 at 5:45 PM

The Defense Department today swore in several new officials, though Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks remain President Biden's only Senate-confirmed leaders at the Pentagon.

The new officials are:

  • Alex Sanchez, special assistant to the chief of staff to the Air Force secretary
  • Stefanie Tompkins, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • Daniel Erikson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for western hemisphere
  • Sarah Farnsworth, special assistant to the defense secretary for protocol
  • Joseph Federici, speechwriter, office of the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs
  • Siddharth Mohandas, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia
  • Christian Urrutia, counsel to the general counsel

Meanwhile, the nomination of Colin Kahl to become under secretary of defense for policy is in doubt as Republicans are poised to vote against him. A "yes" vote from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) could give Kahl enough support in the 50-50 Senate to allow Vice President Harris to cast the deciding vote in his favor, but Manchin has yet to make up his mind.

Read a list of officials previously sworn in.

210778