WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement following an announcement that President Trump intends to nominate Patrick Shanahan for Secretary of Defense:

“Our men and women in uniform need a permanent Secretary of Defense. As Acting Secretary, Pat Shanahan has demonstrated that he is capable of managing the needs of our armed forces and protecting our national security. I look forward to working with him to advance the interests of Mississippi’s military installations, suppliers, and industrial base.”