UPDATE 2 - Trump Appoints New Pentagon Chief After Shanahan Resigns, Transition Effective June 23

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2019) US President Donald Trump in a statement on Tuesday said Army Secretary Mark Esper has been nominated to take over the Pentagon after Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan withdrew from the nomination process and resigned effective June 23.

"Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who has done a wonderful job, has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family," Trump said via Twitter. "I thank Pat for his outstanding service and will be naming Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to be the new Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!"

Earlier on Tuesday, Shanahan withdrew his nomination following published reports on a 2010 domestic violence incident involving him and his former wife.

In later remarks, Shanahan said in response to his resignation that this "deeply personal family situation" is being depicted in an incomplete and misleading way. He added that going through the confirmation process would force his family to relive a "traumatic chapter" in their lives and reopen wounds that took years to heal.

Regarding the Department of Defense, Shanahan said it is well postured to provide long-term security and it is developing capabilities that will ensure US military leadership for the decades to come in space, hypersonic missiles, cyber and in other areas.

Shanahan said that besides withdrawing his nomination, he is resigning from his position as Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Later in the day, the Defense Department in a press release said that Shanahan and Esper had already met to begin transition planning.

The two men, the release added, are committed to seeing an orderly transition that will become effective at midnight on June 23.

US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that the United States would be better off to have a secretary of defense who was actually confirmed by the Senate amid the tensions with Iran.

The announcement came one day after Shanahan approved deployment of 1,000 troops to the middle East to counter Iran's alleged behavior a week after oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Iran has denied the accusations of involvement and accused the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia of staging the incident.