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Tags: mike pence | swears | james mattis | john kelly | trump | national security

Pence Swears in Mattis, Kelly to Trump National Security Posts

Pence Swears in Mattis, Kelly to Trump National Security Posts

(Photo by Kevin Dietsch - Pool/Getty Images)

By    |   Friday, 20 January 2017 09:15 PM EST

Vice President Mike Pence late Friday swore in retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as Defense Secretary and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as head of Homeland Security.

The nominees were confirmed just hours earlier by the Senate — and President Donald Trump received two members of his national security team on Inauguration Day.

Senators voted 98-1 to confirm Mattis, while Kelly was approved on an 88-11 vote.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump's nominee for attorney general, did not vote for either candidate.

Mattis, a four-star general, required a waiver because he had only been retired since 2013. Federal law requires him to be out of uniform for a minimum of seven years.

Congress exempted Mattis from the waiver last week. Trump signed the legislation Friday in one of his first acts as president.

Kelly, who retired from the Marines last year, also is a four-star general.

Both also served in the Obama administration.

In addition, Republicans scheduled a Monday vote for Rep. Mike Pompeo as CIA director — after Democrats called for extended debate on the candidacy of the three-term Kansas congressman.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called for all three to be confirmed earlier Friday, saying that a national security team needed to be in place immediately.

"It makes no sense to leave the post open — not for another week, not for another day, not for another hour," the Kentucky senator said. "America's enemies will not pause in plotting, planning and training because the Democrats refuse to vote."

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Politics
Vice President Mike Pence late Friday swore in retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as Defense Secretary and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as head of Homeland Security.
mike pence, swears, james mattis, john kelly, trump, national security
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2017-15-20
Friday, 20 January 2017 09:15 PM
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