WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has appointed an interim defense secretary as his nominee to oversee the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, awaits Senate confirmation.
Robert Salesses, the deputy director of the Pentagon’s Washington Headquarters Service, will take on the role of acting secretary of defense. Alongside him, three other career officials from the Defense Department will assume temporary leadership positions for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
To begin their work, the incoming Trump administration required senior executives already confirmed by the Senate. Salesses, a former Marine with a service record that includes the Gulf War, is a Bronze Star recipient.
He has been responsible for the Washington Headquarters Service, which handles various essential services in the capital region, including facilities management and legal support for military branches and Pentagon leadership.
Although Hegseth’s nomination may be advanced by the Senate Armed Services Committee this Monday, the full Senate might postpone discussions on his confirmation until later in the week due to the high number of nominees pending approval.
Additionally, Trump has appointed Mark Averill, previously the administrative assistant to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, as the acting secretary. Averill is an alumnus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and has served in senior civilian roles since June 2009.
Terence Emmert will step in as the acting secretary of the Navy; he has been the principal deputy chief technology officer for mission capabilities and has extensive experience in research and testing after serving as a naval aviator.
Gary Ashworth, who has held a temporary position as the assistant secretary for acquisition, will serve as the acting Air Force secretary. Ashworth has a distinguished career of over 20 years in the Air Force and led an acquisition squadron in his last role.
In his inaugural address, Trump expressed intentions regarding military-related executive orders, including potential additional troop deployments to the U.S.-Mexico border to complete the construction of the border wall, along with plans to eliminate training initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
As it stands, approximately 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces are currently on active duty orders at the border, not accounting for state National Guard deployments. U.S. Northern Command, responsible for troops under federal orders at the border, has stated 2,500 personnel is the authorized limit for current operations.
The service members contribute to various tasks such as detection and monitoring, data entry, training, transportation, vehicle maintenance, as well as warehousing and logistical support throughout the year.
This authorization also encompasses light rotary wing aviation support aimed at providing aerial reconnaissance in aid of Customs and Border Protection personnel on the ground, according to a statement from NORTHCOM.
The command has emphasized its collaboration with the Joint Staff and the Department of Defense, ensuring preparedness for any homeland defense missions.
At present, there are no active-duty troops assigned to the border, although some in leadership roles may conduct specific command and control functions as needed.
