President-elect Donald Trump has picked John Kelly, a retired Marine general and former head of the U.S. Southern Command, to lead the Department of Homeland Security in the incoming administration, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Mark Landler and Maggie Haberman write that Trump plans to formally announce his selection of Kelly as DHS secretary along with his other picks for key national security posts next week.
Kelly held responsibility for the U.S. detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and monitored drug trafficking, immigration and other challenges that arose in the southern border zone during his tenure as Southcom chief.
The four-decade military veteran also previously worked as senior military assistant to former defense secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, who urged Congress to approve Kelly’s nomination, according to the report.
“He has led our women and men in uniform and understands what it takes to keep our nation safe,” Panetta was quoted as saying by The New York Times.
