NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Senator John McCain warned President Donald Trump on Thursday [11-16-17] against nominating any more defense industry insiders to top Pentagon posts, as his committee questioned an executive from Lockheed Martin Corp about potential conflicts of interest.
Concern over the close relationship between the Pentagon and arms manufacturers has existed for decades but appears to have intensified under Trump. He has drawn scrutiny for filling posts throughout his government with high-ranking executives. The latest example was his naming this week of former pharmaceutical executive and lobbyist Alex Azar to become Health and Human Services secretary.
McCain, chairman of the Senate’s armed services committee, said he was troubled by the number of Defense Department nominees drawn from the defense industry. He said he would oppose any more such nominations after John Rood, Trump’s pick for the Pentagon’s No. 3 job, who appeared before the committee on Thursday…
Rood ran into trouble during the hearing over his nomination to become undersecretary of defense for policy. As a Lockheed senior vice president, Rood’s job is to expand the company’s international business.”
-Phil Stewart, “McCain warns Trump over staffing Pentagon with industry insiders,” Reuters, Nov. 16, 2017 03:54pm