The former Boeing executive moved up from the No. 2 job after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis left Monday
On his first working day as acting defense secretary, Pat Shanahan made clear that his focus is on China.
The former Boeing executive, who moved up from the No. 2 job after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis left Monday, gathered civilian leaders of the military services and other top civilian officials at the Defense Department on Wednesday before going to the White House for a Cabinet meeting.
A defense official said Shanahan told the Pentagon gathering that he is focused on the strategy as developed and put in place under Mattis. It emphasizes the importance of great power competition with Russia and China, after America’s many years of fighting insurgent wars in the Middle East.
In that context, Shanahan said the Pentagon leaders should remember, “China, China, China,” according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss internal defense meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Trump administration has had a rocky relationship with China.
