Former acting US defense secretary among top candidates for Pentagon chief

Former acting US Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller could be tapped to head the Pentagon in a potential administration under President-elect Donald Trump.

Miller served as the Acting US Secretary of Defense for a brief period during the final months of Donald Trump's first term, from November 9, 2020, to January 20, 2021, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Other potential candidates for the position of Pentagon chief include former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Florida Congressman Mike Waltz.

A former Army Green Beret and current US congressman from Florida, Mike Waltz has become one of the leading voices in Congress on China-related issues. He has co-sponsored several bills aimed at reducing the US dependence on critical minerals sourced from China. Waltz maintains a strong rapport with Trump and is widely seen as a top contender for the position of Secretary of Defense.

Mike Pompeo, who served as CIA director and Secretary of State under Trump, is considered a leading candidate for Secretary of Defense, though he could also be tapped for a role in national security, intelligence, or diplomacy. Despite briefly considering a Republican primary challenge against Trump, Pompeo did not follow through and has since repaired his relationship with the president-elect. He is noted for being one of Trump's staunchest supporters of Ukraine, a stance that sets him apart from many other senior figures in the potential administration.

By Naila Huseynova