Story highlights The Senate voted only on national security nominees Friday

The Senate was not expected to consider Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo for CIA director until Monday

Washington (CNN) The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's first Cabinet members Friday, formally approving his defense secretary and secretary of homeland security.

The final vote to confirm retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to run the Department of Defense was 98-1. New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was the only senator to vote against him, with Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions -- Trump's pick for attorney general -- abstaining.

Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly similarly sailed through for Homeland Security, though he had more detractors. He was confirmed 88-11.

The Senate will not consider Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo for CIA director until Monday, after at least three Democrats objected to his quick confirmation over concerns including surveillance. Instead, they voted on opening debate on his nomination, a procedural step.

"I am pleased by the confirmation votes of Generals Mattis and Kelly. These uniquely qualified leaders will immediately begin the important work of rebuilding our military, defending our nation and securing our borders. I am proud to have these two American heroes join my administration," Trump said in a White House statement, his first since becoming President.

Read More </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> President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that he will nominate U.S. Marine retired Gen. James Mattis, who oversaw U.S. war efforts in the Middle East, to be his defense secretary.

“We are going to appoint ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as our secretary of defense,” Trump told a large crowd in Cincinnati, Ohio, referring by nickname to the tough-talking general who headed the U.S. Central Command, giving him authority over troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“He’s our best. They say he’s the closest thing to (World War II-era) Gen. George Patton that we have,” Trump said, apparently divulging his pick days ahead of schedule as his transition team had already said there would be no more Cabinet announcements this week.

“Okay. So I gave up a little secret. My people over there are probably saying, ‘You weren’t supposed to do that, Mr Trump,'” the president-elect quipped.

Mattis, who is 66, commanded a Marine battalion during the First Gulf War and a Marine division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 2010, the tough-talking native of Washington state was named to head the U.S. Central Command.

That gave him authority over troops in Iraq, where he helped develop a counterinsurgency approach before overseeing the U.S. withdrawal, and Afghanistan, where he implemented a troop surge. It also gave him responsibility for an area including Syria, Yemen and Iran.

Previously, he led the U.S. Joint Forces Command and a NATO command charged with preparing the alliance’s forces to meet future challenges.

A colorful commander, he earned the nickname “Mad Dog” with his battle-hardened swagger and the sort of blunt language marines are famous for. He has been quoted as saying, “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

But to serve as defense secretary, Mattis would need Senate confirmation — and a waiver of a law that bans uniformed military officers from serving in that post for seven years after leaving active duty.

The law is intended to ensure the bedrock notion of civilian control of the nation’s military.

For the first event on his post-election “thank you” tour, Trump on Thursday drew a crowd of several thousand people to a Cincinnati arena — but perhaps one that lacked the fervor seen at his campaign rallies.

The US Bank Arena in the Ohio city has a capacity of more than 17,000, but on Thursday night before the Republican billionaire was due to take the stage with running mate Mike Pence, about half the seats were empty.

On Oct. 13, a few weeks before Election Day, enthusiastic Trump supporters packed the arena — 21,000 of them, according to the president-elect himself at the time.

“It’s cold outside,” said Tim Smolinski, a 63-year-old semi-retired aerospace engineer, who had no trouble finding a good seat along with his wife.

Other attendees said huge traffic jams and sealed-off roads near the venue — home to the minor league Cincinnati Cyclones ice hockey team — could explain why the arena was not full.

Throughout the presidential campaign, which ended with Trump’s Nov. 8 victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Manhattan property mogul drew huge enthusiastic crowds.

But on Thursday, there was no wait at the security checkpoint to enter — and also no lines at the concession stands.

Those present nevertheless were thrilled that the 70-year-old Trump has undertaken what is essentially a victory tour — an unusual step for a newly elected president — in the key swing states that handed him the presidency.

“I think it’s just exciting that he even wants to spend the time to acknowledge the people that brought him to the place that he is,” said 71-year-old Terry Babic, 71, who said he is retired but still does radio broadcasting.

Babic said he and his wife drove five hours from Cleveland just to attend.

The Trump supporters in attendance said that so far, the president-elect had met their expectations during the transition period before he succeeds Barack Obama on Jan. 20, despite media reports of tensions and hiccups in the process.

“Sure, some of his tweets could be worded better,” said William Kelly, an 18-year-old student at the University of Cincinnati who voted for the first time last month.

“I think some of the stuff he says might be straightforward and off the cuff and sure, not what you want to hear, but it’s what we need to hear because it’s true.”

Kelly, wearing a Trump hat, cited the deal reached to keep 1,000 jobs at an air conditioner plant in Indiana from being shifted to Mexico as proof that the president-elect was a man of action.

At the official souvenir stand, red “Make America Great Again” hats were no longer available. They have been replaced with different red hats that say “USA” and “Trump 45” on the back — as he will be the 45th U.S. president. </s> WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will retire at the end of February.

Trump says on Twitter that a new secretary of defense will be named soon.

Trump's announcement comes a day after he surprised U.S. allies and members of Congress by announcing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. </s> Nicholas Kamm, AFP | US Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks after he was sworn in as President Donald Trump looks on in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 23, 2019.

Army Secretary Mark Esper was sworn in as U.S. secretary of defence on Tuesday, hours after being confirmed by the Senate in a strong bipartisan vote that ended the longest period by far the Pentagon had been without a permanent top official.

Esper was sworn in at the White House by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in a ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump and attended by a number of Republican lawmakers.

He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a vote of 90-8 several hours earlier. "That's a vote that we're not accustomed to, Mark. I have to say that, so congratulations," Trump told Esper, a former professional staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.

Esper, 55, a former soldier and lobbyist for weapons maker Raytheon Co, received strong bipartisan support despite sharp questioning during his confirmation hearing by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren about his ties to Raytheon and his refusal to extend an ethics commitment he signed in 2017 to avoid decisions involving the company.

Warren, a 2020 presidential hopeful, was the only member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to voice opposition to Esper's confirmation during the hearing.

Raytheon is the third-largest U.S. defence contractor.

There has been no confirmed defense secretary since Jim Mattis resigned in December over policy differences with Trump.

Many members of Congress from both parties had urged the Republican president to act urgently to fill the powerful position.

Trump's previous pick to be secretary of defence, former Boeing Co executive Patrick Shanahan, withdrew from consideration on June 18 after reports emerged of domestic violence in his family.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called on members to support Esper as he opened the Senate on Tuesday morning.

"The nominee is beyond qualified. His record of public service is beyond impressive. His commitment to serving our service members is beyond obvious. And the need for a Senate-confirmed secretary of defense is beyond urgent,” McConnell said.

Four of the eight "No" votes came from senators running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination - Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar.

An Army veteran, Esper served as a congressional aide and a Pentagon official under Republican President George W. Bush before working for Raytheon. He had been Army secretary since November 2017. </s> 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> Video: Donald Trump wants James 'Mad Dog' Mattis for Secretary of Defense

At a 'thank you' victory rally in Cincinnati Thursday evening, President-elect Donald Trump announced he would "appoint" former Marine Corps General James Mattis as Secretary of Defense. </s> President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that his chief of staff John Kelly would be leaving the position by the end of the year.

Trump made the announcement on the White House South Lawn before departing for the Navy vs. Army football game.

"John Kelly will be leaving at the end of the year. We will announce who will be taking John's place," Trump said, adding that there might be an interim chief of staff. "I appreciate his service very much."

Kelly's departure has been expected, according to sources within the White House.

His tenure has been marred by conflict since he took the position in the summer of last year. Reports have described disagreements between Kelly, the president and West Wing staff.

Recent clashes with first lady Melania Trump made his already tenuous position even more so, NBC News reported last month.

Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, initially began his tenure in the Trump administration serving as the secretary of Homeland Security. He was tapped by Trump as chief of staff in July 2017 after his predecessor, Reince Priebus, was ousted following six months on the job.

During his time in the West Wing, speculation mounted that Kelly has been frustrated and exhausted by his role and Trump's temperament.

Among the leading candidates to replace him is Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Nick Ayers.

Outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said in a statement that Kelly was departing "what is often a thankless job" and called him a "force for order."

“John Kelly is a patriot. Service to America is part of his DNA, and our country is better for his duty at the White House," Ryan said.

Trump also announced on Saturday that he had picked Gen. Mark Milley as his nominee to succeed Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Mark Milley, he is a great gentleman, he’s a great patriot, he’s a great soldier," Trump said Saturday.

On Friday, Trump announced he plans to nominate William Barr for attorney general.

Milley and Barr both must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming the positions.

If confirmed by the Senate, it would be Barr's second stint as head of the Justice Department. He served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush.
The U.S. Senate confirms the first two members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet: retired Marine General James Mattis as Secretary of Defense, and retired Marine general John F. Kelly as Secretary of Homeland Security.