President Trump's Picks Confirmed For Secretary Of Defense, Homeland Security

(Updated at 6:20 p.m.) WASHINGTON, DC — The first two members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet were overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate Friday afternoon when former Marine Gen. James Mattis was ratified as secretary of defense and retired Marine general and Boston native John F. Kelly was confirmed to head the Department of Homeland Security. Mattis, a retired general, has differed with his boss on key issues, telling Congress last week that he sees Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin, as a threat to the United States, and he reiterated the need for NATO to face off against hostile countries.

Mattis, 66, is the first senior military officer to serve as defense secretary since Army Gen. George C. Marshall served in the post for President Harry S. Truman while the country was embroiled in the Korean War. To become secretary of defense, Congress had to pass a law waiving the seven-year waiting period for a military officer to take on the job, The Washington Post reports.

During his career, Mattis led U.S. Central Command and oversaw troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had almost unanimous confirmation, with 98 senators voting for him, according to Mediaite.

Lawmakers voted 88-11 in favor of Kelly, 66, who previously served as commander of U.S. Southern Command under President Obama from 2012 until this January, reports CBS News. At his Senate hearing last week Kelly said he supports Trump’s idea of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Like his counterpart Mattis, Kelly told lawmakers he opposes Trump's plan to register people based on their religion or ethnicity and said religion should not be the key for law enforcement or counter-terrorism operations.

Mattis testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Jan. 12 in his first day of confirmation hearings that although he echoed Trump's intentions to engage with Moscow, he emphasized the extensive threats coming from the Russian regime.

“Challenges posed by Russia include alarming messages from Moscow regarding the use of nuclear weapons; treaty violations; the use of hybrid warfare tactics to destabilize other countries; and involvement in hacking and information warfare,” Mattis said in a written statement, noting dangers Trump has downplayed.

"I would consider the principle threats to start with Russia," he said in response to a question about the main threats to American interests.

Mattis also stressed the importance of NATO in maintaining pressure on Putin, the Russian president.

“NATO is central to our defense,” he said. “I believe the alliance must harness renewed political will to confront and walk back aggressive Russian actions and other threats to the security of its members."

Born in Pullman, Washington, Mattis has never married and has no children. His long combat record, penchant for reading history books and his single status has earned him two nicknames, Mad Dog and Warrior Monk, says ABC News. The scholarly warrior has a personal library of 7,000 books and during deployments would re-read “Meditations of Marcus Aurelius,” the Roman emperor and philosopher.

Since leaving the Marine Corps, Mattis was the Davies family distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California.

“I am pleased by the confirmation votes of Generals Mattis and Kelly. These uniquely qualified leaders will immediately begin the important work of rebuilding our military, defending our nation and securing our borders. I am proud to have these two American heroes join my administration," Trump said in a statement.

"I call on members of the Senate to fulfill their constitutional obligation and swiftly confirm the remainder of my highly qualified cabinet nominees, so that we can get to work on behalf of the American people without further delay.”

Kelly Named Homeland Security Head

A 2011 article in the Boston Globe describes Kelly as a "Boston native, combat veteran, three-star general, and senior military adviser to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta," the son of a hardworking Brighton postal worker. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1976, according to his biography on the Department of Defense website.

Photo credits: Department of Defense