David Norquist, who has been the pillar of the Pentagon during the tenure of former President Donald Trump, was sworn in as Acting Secretary of Defense on Wednesday local time to take over the highest position of Defense.
The appointment of the new Minister of Defense was approved by Congress.
Norquist, who has served as the second civil servant of the Pentagon since July 2019, took over the responsibility of the Department of Defense soon after President Joe Biden was sworn in at the Capitol.
According to the report, Norquist has served as a long-term government finance officer, an army budget analyst, a staff member of the House Appropriations Committee, and former President George W. Bush’s Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon officials.
As Deputy Secretary of Defense, Norquist has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense, managing the Pentagon’s huge budget and overseeing the reform of military procurement and accounting practices.
During the Trump administration, Norquist avoided the spotlight of the media and served in the Department of Defense.
As one of his most recognizable achievements, Norquist led the Pentagon through its first-ever audit in 2019.
The report also said that in November 2020, Trump fired Mark Esper shortly after losing the election, and he did not consider Norquist when appointing the acting defense minister.
He chose Christopher Miller, a former Army Special Forces officer, to lead the Pentagon in the final weeks of his term.
Miller served as Acting Secretary of Defense for 72 days.
Norquist’s term could be shorter, and Biden is waiting for a congressional vote on his choice for the defense chief, retired Army General Lloyd Austin.
