President Donald Trump officially nominated Patrick Shanahan as the Secretary of Defense on Thursday.
The news was confirmed by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders in a statement to reporters.
Originally serving as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Shanahan has served as the acting secretary since Secretary Jim Mattis resigned from the position in December 2018.
Trump frequently refers to Shanahan with the highest level of praise, so the official nomination was not a surprise.
“Acting Secretary Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense and he will continue to do an excellent job,” Sanders said in a statement.