By: Leo Shane III and Joe Gould
President-elect Donald Trump’s surprise victory this week has left defense watchers scrambling to figure out who will take over key national security posts next year, including defense secretary.
Many traditional names for Republican candidates are off the table, either because of past conflicts with the controversial business mogul or their disconnect from his non-traditional campaign. Party officials for months have questioned exactly who help Trump craft his national security policies, and have received only partial answers.
Trump's thin bench is a stark contrast with Hillary Clinton's reservoir of old hands.
"You look at (Hillary Clinton’s) campaign, and you basically had a [defense] secretary in waiting, and well below that was mapped out," said Justin Johnson, a defense expert with the Heritage Foundation. "Trump has operated by a different paradigm, not coming from the same Washington establishment, with the usual alliances and payback required."
Among the most prominent names in his defense inner circle are Republican Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and former Defense Intelligence Agency Director Mike Flynn, two key advisers to Trump throughout the campaign.
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