As published (Office of Senator Mitch McConnell (K-KY) - November 10, 2020) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Secretary Mark Esper and world affairs:“Yesterday, the President informed us that Secretary Mark Esper’s tenure leading the Department of Defense has concluded.

“When the Senate considered Secretary Esper’s nomination, I said you could hardly invent better qualifications to run the Pentagon than his resume. From West Point and the 101^st Airborne to his time as Secretary of the Army, this leader had stepped up when his country needed him.

“The Secretary brought integrity, expertise, and steady leadership to the Pentagon’s top job.

“I am grateful for his work to keep our country safe, modernize our military, and implement the Trump Administration’s new National Defense Strategy to address the challenges of our time. A decorated combat veteran himself, he won the respect of the men and women of our Armed Forces.

“The country is grateful for his career of service.



“During this time of transition, I’m confident in the professionalism of the men and women of the Department of Defense, not to mention our uniformed services. We are lucky to have such capable and duty-focused men and women on the watch, defending the Constitution, deterring our adversaries, and protecting the peace.