Donald Trump just announced that he was ousting Secretary of Defense James Mattis earlier today, and has already appointed Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to replace him in in the new year.
This is yet another disastrous appointment by Trump, who has had more administration fiascos over the last few weeks than we can keep track of. Due to the concerns of the president’s decision to have Shanahan in a top position, an old video of late Senator John McCain has resurfaced. In the video, the war hero slams Shanahan to his face and almost blocked his confirmation — and for good reason.
In the footage, McCain raised concerns over whether Shanahan, who was the executive of Boeing at the time, would support Ukraine military assistance to help fight Russia-supporting separatists. When McCain saw Shanahan’s answers on the matter, McCain ripped him at the hearing for his deputy position confirmation:
The answers that you gave to the questions, whether intentionally or unintentionally, were almost condescending, and I’m not overjoyed that you came from one of the five corporations that receive 90 percent of the taxpayers’ dollars [in defense spending].”
McCain had also raised concerns about the Trump administration not having enough nominees that were “totally objective, well-known and well-regarded.” In another part of Shanahan’s hearing, McCain raised more concerns about support for Russia. McCain said:
In your questions that were submitted to you, one of the questions was providing the Ukrainians with legal, lethal defense weaponry with which to defend themselves.
Inexplicably, you responded by saying you have to look at the issue. It’s not satisfactory, Mr. Shanahan. Not a good beginning. Do not do that again, Mr. Shanahan, or I will not take your name up for a vote before this committee. Am I perfectly clear?”
Shanahan ended up changing his response, but McCain was still weary:
That’s not good enough, Mr. Shanahan. I’m glad to hear you changed your opinion from what was submitted, but it’s still disturbing to me. It’s still disturbing to me after all these years that you would say that you would have to look at the issue. Have you not been aware of the issue? Have you not been aware of the actions of the Senate Armed Services Committee? Have you not been aware of the thousands of people that have been killed by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin?”
You can watch Shanahan squirm in front of McCain below:
Let’s see what John McCain thinks of the new Acting Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan. pic.twitter.com/h6Uv37mi5r
— Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) December 23, 2018
We’ve truly lost one of the only Republicans with a backbone.
Featured image via screen capture
