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The White House formally submitted Mark Esper’s nomination to become the next secretary of defense July 15, one day before the Army secretary is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). The Defense Department confirmed Monday afternoon that Esper’s nomination had been received by the Senate, and that Navy Secretary Richard Spencer is now serving as acting defense secretary, the role Esper had assumed since Patrick Shanahan abruptly resigned this past June. Shanahan had been serving as…
