WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan is withdrawing his nomination to lead the Pentagon.

The abrupt announcement came in a tweet from the president, who said Shanahan had done "a wonderful job" but would step aside to "devote more time to his family."

The president added that the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, will be the new acting secretary.

"I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!" Trump said in a second tweet on the subject.

The post atop the Pentagon has not been filled permanently since Gen. James Mattis retired in January following policy differences with Trump.

Trump announced in May that he would nominate Shanahan but the formal nomination process in the Senate had been inexplicably delayed

Shanahan, a 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.

In his tenure at the department he's had to deal with a wide array of international hotspots, ranging from missile launches by North Korea to the sudden shift of military ships and aircraft to the Middle East to deal with potential threats from Iran.

Shanahan, 56, had extensive of experience in the defense industry but little in government. In more than four months as the acting secretary, he focused on implementing the national defense strategy that was developed during Mattis' tenure and emphasizes a shift from the resources and tactics required to fight small wars against extremist groups to what Shanahan calls "great power" competition with China and Russia. </s> Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan took up the reins of the US armed forces Tuesday by praising his predecessor, newly ousted Jim Mattis, and seeking to reassure the country that it remains safe.

“Under the direction of President Trump, the Department of Defense remains focused on safeguarding our nation,” Shanahan said in a statement released on New Year’s Day.

“We have deep respect for Secretary Mattis’ lifetime of service, and it has been a privilege to serve as his deputy secretary,” he continued.

“As acting secretary of defense, I now look forward to working with President Trump to carry out his vision alongside strong leaders including the service secretaries, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the combatant commanders, and senior personnel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.”

On Dec. 20, a day after Trump abruptly called for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Mattis announced he would step down – writing a two-page letter of resignation in which he rebuked the president’s defense and foreign policies.

The retired four-star Marine general initially planned to resign at the end of February to allow Trump time to find a replacement, but the president later announced that Mattis would leave on Jan. 1 instead.

Trump then named Shanahan, a former Boeing executive with scant government and foreign policy experience, as the acting defense secretary.

In his farewell memo Monday, Mattis encouraged all Defense Department employees to “keep the faith and hold fast.”

“Our Department’s leadership, civilian and military, remains in the best possible hands,” wrote Mattis, who had been widely regarded as a moderating force against the president’s volatility.

In his statement Tuesday, Shanahan added: “The Department of Defense continues to be one of our nation’s bedrock institutions. Our foundational strength lies in the remarkable men and women who volunteer to serve our country and protect our freedoms, while making immense personal sacrifice.

“It is an honor to work with such a dedicated team committed to the greatness of our nation.” </s> President Donald Trump has announced that acting Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan is withdrawing his nomination to lead the Pentagon.

The abrupt announcement came in a tweet from the president, who said Mr Shanahan had done “a wonderful job” but would step aside to “devote more time to his family”.

The president added that the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, will be the new acting secretary.

“I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!” President Trump said in a second tweet on the subject.

The post at the Pentagon has not been filled permanently since Gen James Mattis retired in January following policy differences with President Trump.

President Trump announced in May that he would nominate Mr Shanahan, but the formal nomination process in the Senate had been inexplicably delayed.

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

In his tenure at the department, he has had to deal with a wide array of international hotspots, ranging from missile launches by North Korea to the sudden shift of military ships and aircraft to the Middle East to deal with potential threats from Iran.

Mr Shanahan, 56, had extensive of experience in the defence industry but little in government.

In more than four months as the acting secretary, he focused on implementing the national defence strategy that was developed during Mr Mattis’ tenure and emphasises a shift from the resources and tactics required to fight small wars against extremist groups to what Mr Shanahan calls “great power” competition with China and Russia. </s> FILE – In this Feb. 14, 2019 file photo, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan speaks about the situation in the Persian Gulf region during a meeting with Portuguese Minister of National Defense Joao Cravinho, at the Pentagon. President Donald Trump announced on June 18 that Shanahan will not move forward with the confirmation process to be Defense Secretary. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan is withdrawing his nomination to lead the Pentagon.

The abrupt announcement came in a tweet from the president, who said Shanahan had done “a wonderful job” but would step aside to “devote more time to his family.”

The president added that the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, will be the new acting secretary.

“I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!” Trump said in a second tweet on the subject.

The post atop the Pentagon has not been filled permanently since Gen. James Mattis retired in January following policy differences with Trump.

Trump announced in May that he would nominate Shanahan but the formal nomination process in the Senate had been inexplicably delayed

Shanahan, a 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.

In his tenure at the department he’s had to deal with a wide array of international hotspots, ranging from missile launches by North Korea to the sudden shift of military ships and aircraft to the Middle East to deal with potential threats from Iran.

Shanahan, 56, had extensive of experience in the defense industry but little in government. In more than four months as the acting secretary, he focused on implementing the national defense strategy that was developed during Mattis’ tenure and emphasizes a shift from the resources and tactics required to fight small wars against extremist groups to what Shanahan calls “great power” competition with China and Russia. </s> WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump, who aides said has been frustrated by news coverage of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’s scathing resignation letter, abruptly announced Sunday that he was removing Mattis two months before his planned departure and installing Patrick Shanahan as acting defense secretary.

Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who has been Mattis’ deputy at the Pentagon, will assume the top job on an acting capacity beginning Jan. 1, Trump said.

Mattis resigned in protest last week after Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria over the strong objections of Mattis and others on the national security team. Brett McGurk, the top U.S. envoy to the international coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group, also resigned in protect over Trump’s Syria decision.

In his Thursday resignation letter, Mattis delivered a sharp rebuke of Trump’s worldview and cast the president’s foreign policy positions as a threat to the nation.

Mattis said in the letter that he would resign his post on Feb. 28, to allow for a smooth transition to the next defense secretary. But Trump decided to hasten the process, announcing Sunday on Twitter that Shanahan would replace Mattis imminently.

“I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019,” Trump wrote.

“Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!”

The announcement appeared to catch Pentagon officials off guard. Shanahan was traveling away from Washington when Trump tweeted his decision, and a spokesman for Shanahan declined to comment.

Another defense official, who is close to Mattis and spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said, “I think it’s fair to say that there is a lot of uncertainty about this week. I think all of this is coming down in the last hour.”

Army Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, issued a statement Sunday that did not directly address the personnel changes. “The secretary of defense serves at the pleasure of the president,” the statement read. “The department remains focused on national security.”

Trump initially praised Mattis for serving as defense secretary “with distinction” and achieving “tremendous progress.” But as he consumed media coverage in the hours and days that followed Mattis’ resignation, Trump vented to advisers about the narrative that took hold of the revered four-star Marine Corps general and military intellectual walking out on Trump because he believed the president’s erratic decisions were threatening the world order.

Although Mattis’ letter initially annoyed the president, the coverage of it was even more difficult to stomach, according to a senior administration official. Trump told aides that he especially resented the narrative of Mattis as a manager of Trump who served as a human guardrail against the president’s impulses, the official said.

In recent days, Trump went so far as to tell White house aides that he does not need Mattis and that his defense secretary was not as important a figure as others believed, the official said.

Trump was not shy about sharing his frustrations publicly. On Saturday, he complained on Twitter that he was not getting enough credit for the Syria withdrawal: “If anybody but your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, announced that, after decimating ISIS in Syria, we were going to bring our troops back home (happy & healthy), that person would be the most popular hero in America. With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!”

Then the president took a shot directly at Mattis, with a bit of revisionist history. When he picked Mattis to be defense secretary before the start of his presidency, Trump showered praise on him, reveling in the general’s battlefield valor, calling him by his nickname “Mad Dog” and comparing him to the decorated World War II Army general George Patton.

“He is one of the most effective generals that we’ve had in many, many decades, an extraordinary leader of our time who has committed his life to his love for our country,” Trump said in a Dec. 6, 2016, speech announcing the nomination. “General Mattis is the living embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, ‘semper fidelis,’ always faithful. And the American people are fortunate that man of this character and integrity will now be the civilian leader atop the Department of Defense under his leadership.”

But on Saturday night, Trump wrote on Twitter, “When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn’t, I thought I should. Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of U.S.”

Trump also lashed out at McGurk’s resignation, casting the top diplomat as a bit player. The president wrote in a Saturday night tweet, “Brett McGurk, who I do not know, was appointed by President Obama in 2015. Was supposed to leave in February but he just resigned prior to leaving. Grandstander? The Fake News is making such a big deal about this nothing event!”

In replacing Mattis, at least temporarily, Trump has picked Shanahan, who made his name as an executive at Boeing, where he worked for decades, dealing at times with the aviation behemoth’s commercial aircraft and missile defense programs.

Since his arrival at the Pentagon, Shanahan has emphasized making the department more efficient and business-friendly and has won plaudits at the White House by pushing through Trump’s vision for a space force, against the wishes of many of the building’s leaders and uniformed brass.

Shanahan also has overseen the Pentagon’s audit, its development of a new missile defense policy that still hasn’t been released and a fledgling effort to reduce waste in military expenditures.

Shanahan lacks the kind of foreign policy experience that has become customary among defense secretaries, putting someone atop the Pentagon who lacks the deeply seated views on matters such as withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan that Mattis held.

If Shanahan stays on as a permanent defense secretary, he is unlikely to push strongly held views on those conflict - and, when paired with the incoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, could usher in a shift in power further toward the military brass.

 ---

 The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey, Paul Sonne and Missy Ryan contributed to this report. </s> Editor's note; The video above is from May 30, 2019, showing Shanahan commenting on reports about a request to hide the USS John McCain from President Trump during his visit to Japan.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has removed his name from consideration for the permanent position, President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Tuesday. Trump will have his third defense secretary in less than six months, and it comes as the U.S. faces increasing tensions with Iran.

"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," Trump Tweeted.

Trump said Secretary of the Army Mark Esper will be the new Acting Secretary of Defense.

USA TODAY reported Tuesday that the FBI has been looking into a domestic violence incident between Shanahan and his former wife from nine years ago. Each of them reportedly told police they had been punched by the other. Shanahan reportedly said he "never laid a hand on" her.

It's immediately unclear if this revelation played role in Shanahan's departure from Trump's cabinet. It's an episode which likely would have been brought up during his confirmation hearings.

"Our story is not dissimilar to those of the many families facing the difficult challenges that come when a loved one struggles with substance abuse and other emotional issues as is the case with my former-wife," he wrote.

Esper will be the third defense secretary -- confirmed or acting -- in the first 2 1/2 years of the Trump Administration. James Mattis held the position until Dec. 31, 2018. Mattis initially announced he would leave

Secretary of the Army Mark Esper speaks during a House Armed Services Committee budget hearing for the Departments of the Army and Air Force on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

This is a story. Check back for updates. </s> U.S. President Donald Trump will nominate Patrick Shanahan to be his second secretary of defense, the White House announced Thursday.

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.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said "Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and he will continue to do an excellent job."

Moments later, Shanahan spoke to reporters outside the Pentagon, saying he was very excited about the nomination and looking forward to a job he said requires him to "spin a lot of plates."

"The biggest challenge is balancing it all. For me it's about practicing selectful neglect, so that we can stay focused on the future," Shanahan said, adding with a grin, "I called my mom. She was super happy."

Indeed, in Shanahan's tenure at the department he's had to deal with a wide array of international hotspots, ranging from missile launches by North Korea to the sudden shift of military ships and aircraft to the Middle East to deal with potential threats from Iran.

The announcement comes close on the heels of an investigation by the Defense Department's inspector general over accusations that Shanahan had shown favoritism toward Boeing during his time as deputy defense secretary, while disparaging Boeing competitors. The probe appeared to stall his nomination, but the IG wrapped up the investigation rapidly and cleared Shanahan of any wrongdoing.

The IG interviewed Shanahan as well as 33 witnesses under oath, including Mattis and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"We did not substantiate any of the allegations. We determined that Mr. Shanahan fully complied with his ethics agreements and his ethical obligations regarding Boeing and its competitors," the report said.

Shanahan wields none of the star power of Trump's first defense secretary. And that may be just the thing for a commander in chief who seemed to resent Mattis for his reputation in Washington as a superior strategist and a moderating influence on an impulsive president.

Two months before Mattis resigned, citing policy differences, Trump publicly questioned whether he was "sort of a Democrat." After the former Marine general quit, Trump spoke more harshly, calling Mattis a failure, and insisted he had fired him, even though Mattis had resigned first.

Shanahan, 56, has a lifetime of experience in the defense industry but little in government. In more than four months as the acting secretary, he has focused on implementing the national defense strategy that was developed during Mattis' tenure and emphasizes a shift from the resources and tactics required to fight small wars against extremist groups to what Shanahan calls "great power" competition with China and Russia.

The Shanahan nomination is not known to face any organized opposition in Congress, although some members have been lukewarm on him. Sen. James Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has questioned why Trump was taking so long to seek the Senate's consent but has indicated he would support Shanahan. Others have questioned whether Shanahan might be more willing to endorse plans or policies coming out of the White House.

This is only the third time in history that the Pentagon has been led by an acting chief. The last was William H. Taft, who served for two months in 1989 after President George H.W. Bush's first choice to be defense secretary, John Tower, became mired in controversy and ultimately failed to be confirmed by the Senate. Dick Cheney, the future vice president under President George W. Bush, then was nominated and confirmed.

Presidents typically take pains to ensure the Pentagon is being run by a Senate-confirmed official, given the grave responsibilities that include sending young Americans into battle, ensuring the military is ready for extreme emergencies like nuclear war and managing overseas alliances that are central to U.S. security.

Shanahan, who grew up in Seattle, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington and two advanced degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined Boeing in 1986, rose through its ranks and is credited with rescuing a troubled Dreamliner 787 program. He also led the company's missile defense and military helicopter programs.

Trump has seemed attracted to Shanahan partially for his work on one of the president's pet projects — creating a Space Force. Trump also has publicly lauded Boeing, builder of many of the military's most prominent aircraft, including the Apache and Chinook helicopters, the C-17 cargo plane and the B-52 bomber, as well as the iconic presidential aircraft, Air Force One.

Although a few members of the Senate have rhetorically roughed up Shanahan, he has not generated broad opposition during his months of auditioning for the nomination. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, butted heads with Shanahan over the administration's Syria policy, but that confrontation quickly faded after the White House partially reversed course by agreeing to keep a few hundred troops in Syria rather than withdrawing all 2,000.

Shanahan was the deputy secretary of defense during Mattis' two-year tenure. No one thought of him then as a potential No. 1 since he had never previously served in government and carried little political sway in Washington or in foreign capitals. Aides say that during his 17 months as deputy, Shanahan was deeply engaged in the full range of policy issues and briefed on military operations. He shares Mattis' conviction that the Pentagon needs to shift its focus from fighting insurgent wars to preparing for and deterring armed conflict with big powers like China.

"China, China, China," was his message to senior department officials the day he took over from Mattis, aides said. </s> With Mattis Out, How Will The Pentagon Transition Under Shanahan?

Steve Inskeep talks with Todd Harrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies about acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who takes over from Jim Mattis on Jan. 1. </s> In his first statement to the forces, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan says he looks forward to working with President Trump; Lucas Tomlinson reports from the Pentagon. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Patrick M. Shanahan becomes the acting United States secretary of defense following the resignation of Jim Mattis.