Jim Garamone at the DoD News offers the below report:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2017 —
President Donald J. Trump signed two executive actions and watched as Vice
President Mike Pence ceremonially swore in Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the
Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes here today.
Mattis once again swore “to
support and defend the Constitution of the United States” just as he did as a
young Marine reservist in 1969. Mattis retired as a four-star general in 2013.
The defense secretary
welcomed the president to the headquarters of the military “where America’s
awesome determination to defend itself is always on display. I would just tell
you that you have made clear, Mr. President, your commitment to a strong
national defense and the Americans honored in this hall remind us of our
strength as a nation of patriots.”
The president reemphasized
his “total confidence” in Mattis, calling him “a man of honor, a man of
devotion and a man of total action.”
The secretary has been in
place since he was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 20. He reported to the
Pentagon for work the next day.
Military America’s Backbone
Trump said the men and women
in the military are the backbone of the United States. “You are the spirit of
this nation in every sense,” he said. “The men and women of the United States
military are the greatest force for justice and peace and good that have ever
walked the face of this Earth.”
The president pledged to
support service members and their families.
While at the Pentagon, Trump
signed two executive actions to ensure “the sacrifices of our military are
supported by the actions of our government.”
The first action initiates “a
great rebuilding” of the armed services. It calls for developing a plan for new
planes, new ships, new tools and new resources for the services. “As we prepare
our budget request for Congress -- and I think Congress is going to be very
happy to see it -- our military strength will be questioned by no one, but
neither will our dedication to peace,” he said.
The second action establishes
new vetting measures “to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United
States of America -- we don’t want them here,” the president said. “We want to
ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats that our
soldiers are fighting overseas. We only want to admit into our country those
who will support our country and love, deeply, our people.”
Trump promised to service
members that his administration will “always have your back, we will always be
with you.”
Before the ceremony, Trump
and Pence met with defense leaders in the “Tank” -- the meeting room of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Mattis Orders Program Reviews
Earlier in the day, Mattis
directed reviews of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and the Presidential
Aircraft Recapitalization program. Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis
said the purpose of the reviews is “to inform programmatic and budgetary
decisions, recognizing the critical importance of each of these acquisition
programs.”
He called it a prudent step
in anticipation of the budget process, which will help inform the secretary's
recommendations to the president regarding critical military capabilities.
“This action is also
consistent with the president’s guidance to provide the strongest and most
efficient military possible for our nation’s defense,” Davis said, “and it aligns
with the secretary’s priority to increase military readiness while gaining full
value from every taxpayer dollar spent on defense.”
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