Trump appointee endorses Christine Wormuth as Army secretary

Former U.S. Secretary of the Army under then-President Trump, Ryan McCarthy, on Thursday announced his endorsement of President Biden’s pick to fill the role, Christine Wormuth.

Speaking to NBC News, McCarthy said he supports Wormuth because “she has the deep, strategic policymaking experience,” adding that she is “uniquely suited to make the strategic decisions necessary.”

NBC reports that Wormuth reached out to McCarthy last month after her nomination was announced by the White House. McCarthy said they spoke for about two-and-a-half hours in person and had a “very nice discussion.”

Wormuth, who is the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corp, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday for her confirmation hearing. If confirmed, she would be the first female Army secretary.

“Christine is a true patriot with a dedicated career in service to America and our nation’s security,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said when her nomination was announced. “I have no doubt that, if confirmed, she will lead our soldiers and represent their families with honor and integrity as the Secretary of the Army.”

“We need to get the wind at her back,” McCarthy told NBC. “Making her successful is in everybody’s best interest.”

The former Army secretary told the outlet that Wormuth would face several challenges if confirmed, including fighting sexual assault in the branch, modernization efforts and budget pressures. He commended her for her “very calm temperament,” which he said would be necessary to deal with the pressures of the job.