Newsdonald trump, donald trump news, John Kelly, Homeland Security
Dec 07, 2016 12:52 PM EST
Donald Trump wants retired General John Kelly as the leader of the Department of Homeland Security, according to an inside source.
The 66-year-old retired general earlier led the US military's Southern Command. The source reveals that the president-elect is all set to name Kelly as the head of Homeland Security. If Trump chooses him for this post, he will be the third general for a high-profile job in the Trump administration.
Trump is apparently in favor of choosing people with military background for high-profile jobs in his administration. This may be his way of compensating his lack of military experience as an administrator.
US President Barack Obama has earlier expressed his dissatisfaction for Donald Trump being the next commander-in-chief. He believes Trump's lack of experience may lead to dangerous circumstances, since the present political situation in the international area is quite volatile.
Donald Trump's apparent plan is to have experienced people around him to guide him in taking critical decisions. Choosing Kelly may be a critical decision. Trump also plans to nominate retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as the national security adviser and retired General James Mattis as the leader of the Department of Defense.
Kelly had disagreements with President Obama on various issues. He was also the one who warned Obama about the vulnerable US-Mexico border. He has an elaborate military career of 45 years. Retired in January, he played a major role in strengthening ties in South America.
According to Reuters, Kelly may help Donald Trump with insights regarding religious extremism and drug trafficking. But, he is expected to face challenges, as he needs to oversee everything from cyber threats to border security.
According to the New York Post, if Kelly gets the appointment from Donald Trump, he will succeed Jeh Johnson, appointed by Barack Obama. The appointment must, however, be approved by the Senate.