Statement by Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro, USMC (Ret.), Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association on Esper, Miller

Secretary Mark Esper has performed the “nearly impossible job of the Secretary of Defense” with great distinction and success. He leaves the department with the respect and admiration of the women and men in uniform and their families and that of our allies and partners. He has worked with our industry to ensure our warfighters are never in a fair fight, while always mindful of our taxpayers. He has always led from the front and taken the right course, no matter the consequences. 

Deputy Secretary David Norquist, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and most key Pentagon military and civilian senior leaders remain in place to ensure continuity of effort within the Department of Defense. The procedures and regulations within the department ensure that the ball is never dropped.  

Executive branch transitions are complex, and their smooth execution is vital to our democracy, especially when national security matters are at stake. We look forward to working with acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller and fostering bipartisan support for a smooth DoD transition for our warfighters, the men and women of the defense industrial base, and ultimately, our nation.