Richard Spencer, secretary of the Navy and a 2019 Wash100 winner, assumed Monday the role of acting secretary at the Department of Defense after the White House sent to the Senate the official nomination of Army Secretary Mark Esper for DoD’s top civilian post.
“I expect to continue to serve in this role until a Secretary of Defense nominee is confirmed by the Senate and assumes office. At that time, I will continue to serve as Secretary of the Navy,†Spencer wrote in a memorandum issued Monday.
Spencer officially started his duties as the secretary of the Navy in August 2017. He is a finance industry veteran who held executive roles at Fall Creek Management, Intercontinental Exchange and Crossroads Investment Management.
President Donald Trump announced in June his plans to nominate Esper, a 2019 Wash100 recipient, to serve as the next Pentagon secretary. Esper took over the leadership of the department on an interim basis after Patrick Shanahan resigned and withdrew his name from consideration for the top DoD job.
Jonathan Hoffman, chief spokesperson for the Pentagon, said Esper ceased to serve as acting defense secretary after the Senate received his official nomination.
