Present arms. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States. [playing hail to the chief. ] all staff. All staff. Alt. Ladies and gentlemen please remain standing for the singing of the National Anthem by the United States navy band. Present. Present. Arms. Staff. Present arms. O say can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there o say does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave staff. Order. Se. Ies at ea good morning it is a great , day for a prayer, a great formation and we thank the lord to be here in this great weather in washington, d. C. Lets pray with me today. Lord, we come to you in this moment and seek your blessings upon this ceremony. Defense secretary esper and the United States of america. Thank you for your presence with us today and thank you for your presence with those of our forces and their families wherever they are around the world. Lord, let them know we are praying for them and lift them up, give them encouragement and bring them home safely. As lovers of peace, we come to this place today where we need to pray when times require peacekeepers and peacemakers. Therefore, grant President Trump, Vice President pence, defense secretary esper and the joint chiefs of staff your divine wisdom, your divine strength, and your divine knowledge that leads to increased power and brings increased peace. As these leaders work with our allies, bless their efforts to support National Interests and the good of mankind. Defense secretary esper officially enters this new role, may he serve with honor and integrity and love and admiration for one another. King eternal, as you continue to bless the United States of america and the department of defense, we continue to trust in you. In your power. For your glory. Now and forever, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. [applause] attention. Honor guard. Attention. Shoulder, arms. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the 47th secretary of defense, mark esper. [applause] good morning, everyone. To the troops on the field, you look fantastic. [applause] President Trump, Vice President pence, members of congress, and distinguished guests, thank you for joining us today. On behalf of of the department of defense, welcome to the pentagon. This Historic Building is not only the headquarters of our armed forces but a prominent symbol of americas military power. And of our willingness to defend our people and our interests around the world. To generations of americans this place, this building embodies our National Security. However, a building is nothing without the people within it and the spirit and dedication they bring to it each and every day. As such, i want to thank the great patriots, military and civilian alike, who come to work here and focus on one thing, supporting the more than 2 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who sacrifice and serve in defense of our great nation. They all represent americas best and i am proud to serve with them and alongside them. [applause] mr. President , thank you for your confidence in me and this incredible opportunity, it is an honor of a lifetime to be appointed secretary of defense and lead the greatest military in history and im especially humbled that you would be here today to celebrate this occasion. I want to thank you, mr. President , for your commitment to our armed forces and a Strong National defense. Our military has made tremendous gains in recent years thanks to your leadership and today we are ready to face any challenge, anytime, anywhere as we continue to stand guard around the world. I would like to thank the Armed Services committee for its swift action on my nomination and for the strong bipartisan support i received from the entire United States senate. The Global Security environment has clearly become more complex. The free and open order that has preserved the peace and sustained prosperity for decades is under duress. Great power competition has reemerged as china and russia seek to displace the United States and shift the balance of power in their favor. Iran continues discord and threatens its neighbors in the middle east and terrorist organizations like isis look for new safe havens to plot against the west. As the department of defense takes on these challenges we will continue to strengthen our military and deter conflict to preserve the peace and advance americas interests. We will do this first by building a more lethal force. Increasing its readiness, and modernizing for the future. Thanks to the president s leadership and the support of congress the last two budgets have let us make significant investments towards these ends and these next couple promise to do the same as well. In addition, the department is on the verge of a significant change in how we organize, train, and equip our space forces. Mr. President , this is an important priority for you and my Pentagon Team is fully engaged with the Armed Services committee and bipartisan congressional leadership to create, for the first time in 70 years, a new branch of the armed forces, the United States space force. [applause] the secretary second, we will strengthen our alliances a likeminded network that will fight together that is an advantage that our add veer that our adversaries do not possess. Our allies must contribute to our shared security. President trump has called on other nations to do more and they have responded. By the end of 2020, our nato allies will spend 100 billion on defense, an unprecedented increase that will make the [applause]tronger. Third, we will reform the department to make the best use of every single Dollar Congress gives us. Our country has many competing demands and it is incumbent on us to look for ways to matter how small to free up time, money and manpower to invest back into our top priorities. Always keep faith with the American People and be good stewards of their hardearned tax dollars. Lastly, as a priority of mine, we will place a particularly focus on the wellbeing of our military families. Our families make tremendous sacrifices for this country. I am committed to ensuring they are properly cared for. I want to thank mrs. Trump and for thefor the attention they have paid to our spouses and children throughout the armed forces. In closing, i want to thank all sailors,ldiers, airmen, and marines who make up the greatest fighting force known to man. They are standing watch to deter aggression and preserve peace. Skies, throughout the and in both space and cyberspace, Service Members solemnly and confidently carry out their duties. Assured by the leadership of the commander in chief, the men and women of our military note that we will never send them into fight without the training, equipment, and leadership they need to prevail. They know that this administration, this congress, and the American People have their back. They know that when they are deployed far from home, their families will be taken care of. Thank you again mr. President for your support to our military and for allowing me the privilege to serve our country once again as secretary of defense. Responsibilityis i will carry out my duties with the same responsibility to honor and country that i have for nearly four decades since my days at west point. Thating so, i assure you this department will not let our great nation down. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, it is my to welcome the Vice President of the United States, mike pence. Mr. President , secretary asper, members of the cabinet, members of congress, and of the joint chiefs of staff and most especially to all of those who wear the uniform of the United States. And their families. And the civilians who support you. It is a special honor to be here with all of you at the pentagon. Symbol of american power. To join all of you for the full honors ceremony of the 27th secretary of defense, secretary mark esper. [laughter] [applause] as the men and women who have served here at the pentagon know well, since day one of this administration, President Trump has taken Decisive Action to make the strongest action military in the history of the world stronger still area after years of budget cuts, president thep fought for and secured largest increase in our National Defense and more than a generation. Including the Largest Military pay raise in over 10 years. At the president s direction, we produced a Security Strategy that puts america first. Said, ourretary just toies are contributing more defense than ever before and with the strong support of leaders in congress we are well on our way to establishing the sixth branch of the armed forces, the United States space force. Today, congress will vote on a deal thanks to the president s leadership that preserves the historic investments we have made in our National Defense area that it provides for our ends the defense sequester once and for all. \[applause] Vice President pence mr. Secretary, because of this president s efforts, you will inherit a military better equipped, better trained and better prepared than any military in the history of the world and the president and i have every confidence that you will lead the department of defense with the same dedication that marked your military career. Mr. Secretary, your reputation for leadership and your patriotism no doubt accounts for the 90 votes that you received in the United States senate and confirms the confidence that the president is placing in you today. So, mr. Secretary, thank you for answering the call to serve our country once again. [applause] Vice President pence President Trump has no higher priority than the safety and security of the American People. And today, by providing renewed leadership to the department of defense, our commander in chief is taking one more critical step to provide for the common defense of the American People and our way of life. So now, it is my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce your commander in chief and the 45th president of the United States of america, president donald trump. [applause] President Trump well, thank you very much to our great Vice President , and thank you to all of the extraordinary patriots here at the United States department of defense, the Worlds Largest building. Ive heard for many years, the Worlds Largest building. And its under great leadership. Your devotion, strength, and courage keep america safe, strong, and free. Its because of you that the United States military is the most powerful fighting force on the face of the earth. I want to express our gratitude to the old guard and to all of the Service Members in todays review for their extraordinary commitment to excellence and their unwavering loyalty to our nation. It is the greatest honr of my life to serve as your commanderinchief. Let me also recognize the incredible u. S. Navy sea chanters and the band for that beautiful rendition of our National Anthem. It was really beautiful, and thank you very much. Fantastic job. President trump thank you. Thank you. Were gathered here today to celebrate the swearingin of americas new secretary of defense, mark t. Esper. Secretary esper, your lifetime of Noble Service has prepared you for this immense responsibility. And thats what it is immense responsibility. On behalf of our entire country, thank you and congratulations. Congratulations. President trump i have no doubt i know you well that you will thrive in the performance of your duties and make all americans everybody in this great country all americans very, very proud. Theyre right now very proud, but theyre going to be even more so as time goes by. People love our country more than ever, and our country is respected again. Remember that. Im delighted that many members of your family could be here for this special occasion, including your wonderful wife leah, your mother polly, and your children luke and katherine. Thank you. Thank you very much. Congratulations to a great family. Thank you very much. President trump great family. Also joining us are acting secretary kevin mcaleenan, acting administrator chris pilkerton, director dan coats, representatives kay granger, john rice carter, and many members of the diplomatic corps. With us, as well, are many distinguished military leaders vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general paul selva. Where is paul . Paul . Paul. Acting secretary of the army ryan mccarthy. Ryan . Hi, ryan. Stand up, ryan. Youre doing a great job. President trump youre filling big shoes, ryan. Acting secretary of the air force matthew donovan. Thank you very much. Thank you, secretary. President trump acting secretary of the navy thomas modly. Thank you, thomas. Great. President trump army chief of staff, general mark milley. Mark . Thank you, mark. President trump congratulations to mark. Coast guard commandant, admiral karl shultz. Thank you, admiral. President trump marie corps commandant, general david berger. General, thank you very much. President Trump Air Force chief of staff, general david goldfein. General, thank you very much. President trump and chief of Naval Operations admiral, john richardson. Thank you all. Thank you, admiral. President trump over many decades, in times of war and peace, mark esper has answered the call of duty. Hes never failed. He hails from uniontow, pennsylvania the hometown of his personal hero, the legendary former secretary of defense and a great one, george marshall. Mark attended the United States military academy at west point. Graduated in 1986, receiving a commission in the infantry. Soon, he earned his tab ranger tab and fought with the famed 101st Airborne Division in the gulf war. He was awarded the bronze star and the combat infantryman badge for his service. Brave guy. They all told me he was a brave guy. I knew that anyway. In total, mark served in our nations military for 21 years. He completed his final activeduty assignment right here at the pentagon on the army staff and then returned six years later as the Deputy Assistant secretary of defense for negotiations policy. Over his career, mark has advanced our National Security in a variety of other government and private sector roles. He has worked in both houses of congress, advising lawmakers. I can see he had some talent because he won was it 98 to what . No, you got 90, right . Can you believe this . I dont believe it. I heard a ninety. Ninety to eight, right . President trump i dont know. I havent heard that sound in a long time, mark. President trump now im worried. Ninety to eight. Wow. He served as Vice President of raytheon. Along the way, mark earned a masters degree at harvards john f. Kennedy school of government and a phd at George Washington university. In 2017, mark was sworn in as secretary of the United States army, a position in which he earned universal admiration and respect. Tremendous respect. At the department of defense, secretary esper will work with more than 2 million Service Members and hundreds of thousands of civilian employees all dedicated to one Critical Mission the defense of the nation and of this great nations people. I have absolute confidence that mark will ensure that our incredible military is fully prepared to deter conflict and to defeat any foe. No enemy can match the awesome might of the american army, navy, air force, coast guard, and the United States marines. We had a Budget Approved when i first came in. Billions and billions of dollars more than it was previously, in the Previous Administration 700 billion. Then i went to 716 billion. And i wont even tell you what this one is. I can only tell you its even more. Because we have rebuilt things that nobody ever even thought of rebuilding. Weve added the greatest planes in the world, the greatest missiles in the world. Weve upgraded our nuclear very, very powerfully, including new. We never want to have to use it. Pray to god that we never have to use it. But we have the best in the world in every aspect of military. The sight of american warriors brings solace into the hearts of our friends and strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies. Our military today is more powerful, by far, than ever before. And three years ago, we could not have said that, could we, mark . Were giving our warfighters the tools they need to fight and win with overwhelming force. After years and years of budget cuts and all of the things that theyve been doing to set us back with our military, we have more than made up for all of it. Were building new tanks and ships and submarines and planes and Missile Systems to ensure that our warriors operate with unrivaled capability in conflict. Any battlefield will be a battlefield on which we win. We have given our Service Members their largest pay raise in nearly a decade. And under this administration, we have faced the challenge of our time with clear eyes, fresh thinking, and bold determination. Our First Priority is always the safety and sovereignty of our nation and our citizens. Here at home, we have deployed military forces to confront the grave National Security crisis on our southern border. And i want to thank all of the great military leaders for the help youve given us on our southern border. And, as you know, mexico has now deployed 21,000 troops, which is something theyve never done before. And theyve been a tremendous help. Tremendous difference in the numbers very rapidly. And we want to thank the country of mexico and the president. No nation can be safe or secure that fails to control its borders. In syria and iraq, thanks to the bravery of our warriors and their allies, the isis territorial caliphate has been 100 percent and just absolutely destroyed. And we did it in a very quick moment of time. As soon as i said, i wat to do it and i want to do it fast, our military kicked in and it happened very, very quickly. Today, we stand not far from where terrorists attacked the pentagon on 9 11, claiming 184 precious lives. We will never forget the immortal sacrifice of those american patriots. We vow to do whatever it takes to protect our homeland, to safeguard our people from the threat of radical islamic terrorism, and to preserve american freedom. Around the world, america faces new threats and strategic rivals, it seems like all the time. We have met this competition with unmatched confidence, purpose, and resolve. We talk to all of them and they talk to us with great, great respect. They respect our country so much more than they have for many, many decades. Right now, they respect us more than they have in many, many years. And its only going to get more so. We are ensuring american dominance across every warfighting domain land, air, sea, cyber, and now space. That is why, under secretary espers leadership, we will as mike and mark have already said, but its so exciting to say. And whenever i make a speech, people start going wild. They stand up and they clap, and i cant sit them down. And i have to wait because i say, were launching the United States space force. They go absolutely wild. They understand thats where its going to be at. And were going to be there, and were going to be there in every way that you can. As we aim ever higher, i know the men and women of this department will never let up and never rest easy. Together, we will fulfill our Sacred Mission to protect the greatest nation in the history of the world the United States of america. With unyielding strength, we will defend our country, we will defend our people, and we will proudly defend our Great American flag. Secretary esper, congratulations again to you and your family. This is an incredible day in the life and fabled history of the United States. Secretary of defense, do you ever see that, looking into do you ever see that one . As i watch all of these great men and women youre going to do a great job, i have no doubt. Absolutely no doubt. President trump no doubt. We cannot wait to see all that you will achieve for our nation as the new secretary of defense. I want to thank everybody for being here. Very special people. God bless you. God bless our military. And god bless america. Thank you very much everybody. [commands] at this time, we would like to recognize the people who have joined us today by performing the songs of the Armed Services. We ask that you stand and be recognized. United states army. The United States air force. The United States marine corps. The United States coast guard. The United States navy. [applause] honor guard. [commands] forward march. Mr. President , this concludes todays ceremonies. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes todays ceremonies. Please stand and remain in place for the departure of the official parties. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for joining us today at the pentagon. Have a wonderful day. \[captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2019] captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org here is a look at our live coverage monday. The latest report on Security Sector assistance in afghanistan. Later, the Federalist Society holds a discussion on the 2020 census and the president s efforts to count citizens and noncitizens in the u. S. Pompeoan2, mike participates in a conversation on Foreign Policy at 9 00 a. M. In the afternoon at 3 00, the u. S. Senate returns for votes on whether to override President Trumps vetoes on three resolutions walking u. S. Arms sales to saudi arabia. In cspans three president ial leadership surveys taken between 2000 and 2017, Grover Cleveland drops from 17th to 20 third place area grant makes the most dramatic rise of all the president s going from the 33rd to the 22nd spot. Where does your favorite president s rank . Learn about the lives and leadership skills of the chief in the book the president s. It is our spotlight on magazines segment here. Up early joining us from los angeless senior staff writer with the rolling stone, stephen rodrick, an extensive piece in the magazine allamerican despair a suicide epidemic fueled by guns, poverty, and isolation. Thank you for being here this morning and tell us why what prompted you to investigate and write the story
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