Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday reportedly dismissed concerns that his nomination is being help up due to an FBI background check, a process needed to move his nomination forward to the Senate.
Shanahan told CNN that he had “no concerns” following reports that President Trump was having second thoughts on formally nominating him for Defense secretary.
Asked if Trump has assured him that he still intends to nominate Shanahan to lead the Pentagon, the acting Defense chief said he is “in contact with the White House” and expects to “have the process completed here shortly.”
“We’re done with our paperwork,” he said.{mosads}
The White House announced Trump’s intention to nominate Shanahan as Pentagon chief in early May. The process has been on hold since then as lawmakers wait for Trump to formally submit the nomination to the Senate.
NBC News reported on Tuesday that the stalled nomination was due to Trump “having second thoughts” about naming Shanahan to helm the Defense Department. Four sources told the outlet that Trump had been asking about alternative candidates to the former Boeing executive, who has been acting secretary since the beginning of the year.
But Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) on Wednesday dismissed the story, telling reporters that the FBI’s background check on Shanahan was the holdup.
“They can’t do that until after the FBI report comes in,” Inhofe said, adding that it will probably be “another week” until the White House sends the nomination.
Shanahan, meanwhile, brushed aside any concerns about the wait time.
“I can’t tell you how long the process is supposed to work,” Shanahan told CNN when asked why it is taking so long for his paperwork to be sent from the White House.