Senate confirms Esper as defense secretary

The Senate today confirmed Mark Esper as the next defense secretary by a 90-8 vote.

Esper's confirmation ends months of leadership uncertainty at the Pentagon, where more than a dozen senior leadership slots remain vacant and, in many cases, without nominees.

Esper is the first confirmed defense chief the Pentagon has had since former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned Jan. 1 amid opposition to President Trump's strategy in the Middle East.

Pat Shanahan, then the deputy defense secretary, stepped in to run the Pentagon after Mattis' departure and became the longest-serving acting defense chief in history. The White House said Trump intended to select Shanahan for the post, but the nomination collapsed amid media reports of past violent incidents involving Shanahan's ex-wife and son.

Esper had been Army secretary since 2017. Prior to joining the Trump administration, he was the top lobbyist at Raytheon.

His time at Raytheon has raised ethical concerns among some lawmakers, chiefly Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who opposed his nomination.

Before Raytheon, Esper worked as a DOD official and Capitol Hill staffer and served as an Army officer.

Esper's confirmation means the Army will need a new secretary. The White House has said the president intends to nominate Army Under Secretary Ryan McCarthy for the post.