Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on Nomination of General James Mattis as Defense Secretary

Washington, DC – Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement on President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he will nominate General James Mattis as Defense Secretary:

“As a fellow Marine, I greatly admire General James Mattis’ dedication and leadership. We all should be incredibly grateful for his many years of service to our nation.

“As a veteran, I believe strongly in the principle of civilian leadership of the military. Current law requires that a military officer be out of active duty for at least seven years before taking the job of defense secretary. I do not believe this long-standing check should be cast aside, and I will oppose a waiver of this rule, even for someone as exceptionally qualified as General Mattis.”

Rep. Ruben Gallego is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and served in Iraq with the combat unit Lima 3/25. He currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee.

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