As of Friday, officials said they had not yet heard who will become the acting defense secretary. The military chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were getting ready to step in as acting service secretaries, a rare move because no civilians had been named.
All current political appointees will step down as of noon EST on Inauguration Day, leaving hundreds of key defense posts open, including dozens that require Senate confirmation.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote Monday on Trump's choice to head the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth, but the full Senate vote may not happen until days later. As a result, someone from the Biden administration would have to take over temporarily.
Many senior Biden administration leaders are reluctant to serve in the incoming Trump administration because they are concerned about policy changes they may be required to handle or enforce.
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