Who? Some Republican senators surprised by Trump's defense pick

Senators’ concerns focus on Sullivan’s advocacy for military action in Iran, support for torturing terror suspects

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump surprised some Republican senators on Tuesday by nominating John Sullivan, a former top Pentagon official who advocated for military action against Iran and supported the use of torture against terror suspects, to be the next deputy defense secretary.

Several Republican senators expressed concerns about Sullivan's views during a closed-door meeting with the nominee on Wednesday.

“I have some concerns about his views on Iran and his support for torture,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). “I'm not sure he's the right person for this job.”

Sullivan, who served as the deputy secretary of defense for policy from 2017 to 2019, is a controversial figure. He has been a vocal advocate for military action against Iran and has supported the use of torture against terror suspects.

Sullivan's nomination is likely to face opposition from Democrats and some Republicans. It is unclear whether he will be able to secure the 50 votes needed to be confirmed by the Senate.

Concerns about Sullivan's views on Iran

Sullivan has been a vocal advocate for military action against Iran. In a 2018 speech, he said that the United States should be prepared to use military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Sullivan's views on Iran are at odds with the views of many Republican senators. The Senate voted in 2015 to block Trump from using military force against Iran without congressional approval.

Concerns about Sullivan's support for torture

Sullivan has also supported the use of torture against terror suspects. In a 2017 interview, he said that torture "can be an effective way to extract information from terrorists."

Sullivan's support for torture is at odds with the views of the Senate. The Senate voted in 2015 to ban the use of torture by the CIA.

Outlook for Sullivan's confirmation

It is unclear whether Sullivan will be able to secure the 50 votes needed to be confirmed by the Senate. His nomination is likely to face opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.

If Sullivan is not confirmed, Trump will need to nominate a new deputy defense secretary. The Pentagon has been without a deputy secretary since August 2019, when Patrick Shanahan resigned.