Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis has received formal nomination from President-elect Donald Trump as the next defense secretary during a rally in North Carolina, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Michael Shear writes Trump opened the rally with an introduction of Mattis on the Crown Coliseum stage near Fort Bragg.
Trump made the nomination official less than a week after he disclosed his intent to nominate Mattis for the defense secretary post.
Mattis, who retired from the Marines in 2013, said he hopes to get the waiver he needs from Congress to lead the Pentagon, according to the report.
Military officers must wait for seven years post-retirement before they could serve as defense secretary under federal law, the Times reports.
