Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly is President-elect Donald Trump's top candidate for his secretary of Homeland Security, according to a new report.
Politico cites a trio of sources that say Trump is leaning toward Kelly, who retired in January as the commander of U.S. Southern Command.
Kelly often spoke out about President Barack Obama's administration and was critical of his intention to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center — a promise Obama never made good on.
A report last week suggested Kelly's feelings on securing the United States' southern border with Mexico grabbed Trump's attention.
"In my opinion, the relative ease with which human smugglers moved tens of thousands of people to our nation's doorstep also serves as another warning sign: These smuggling routes are a potential vulnerability to our homeland," Kelly told the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2015.
Newsmax columnist John Gizzi reported last week that Kelly was also being considered to serve as Trump's secretary of State.
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