Mattis confirmed by Senate as new U.S. defense secretary

US Vice President, Mike Pence has sworn in defense secretary James Mattis and homeland security security John Kelly.

The Senate voted 98-1 for Mattis and 88-11 for Kelly while Trump’s inaugural parade was proceeding from the Capitol to the White House on a damp evening in Washington.

Republicans had hoped to approve a far greater number of nominees on Mr Trump’s first day in office, but that process has been delayed because several of Mr Trump’s nominees have been late in filing ethics disclosures, prompting protests by Senate Democrats.

Mattis was later confirmed by the Senate, becoming Trumps’ first cabinet member to officially take office.

Republicans, who hold a 52-seat-majority in the Senate, need only 51 votes to confirm Trump’s nominees.

During his committee hearing, Kelly said he has no problem taking a stand to authority figures – reassuring some Democrats who wondered whether he would take opposing viewpoints with Trump on critical national security matters.

The day before the inauguration, Trump hinted that he would waste no time in carrying out his first actions as president.

The last Central Intelligence Agency director, John Brennan, who had criticized Trump, resigned Friday. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was the lone vote against.

“We face threats foreign and domestic”.

SASC Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Friday went to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support the nomination.

Gen Mattis and Gen Kelly are retired Marine Corps generals.

It also says that Trump will propose a new budget to Congress, outlining a plan to “rebuild” the military. Earlier this month, Mattis testified for three hours before the Senate Armed Services committee and received waiver from Congress for a mandatory seven-year cooling off period for military officers.

Such a waiver was only granted once before, for the famous World War II General George Marshall who served under President Harry Truman from 1950-1951. “America’s enemies will not pause in plotting, planning and training because the Democrats refuse to vote”.

Although Trump campaigned on promises to get to work immediately, Trump officials have said they expected Monday as the first big workday of the new administration, his effective Day One.

The United States should also check Russia’s growing influence in the Arctic region, Mattis said. Trump has promised to rescind many such orders.

Trump has said that Kelly will spearhead the president’s effort to secure the southern border.

He is the second confirmed member of Trump’s cabinet after Gen. James Mattis as Secretary of Defense.