Before Nominating Shanahan, Trump Assailed Him For Lack Of Progress On Border Wall

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 02: U.S. acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (2nd L) listens to President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Cabinet Room at the ... WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 02: U.S. acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (2nd L) listens to President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Cabinet Room at the White House April 02, 2019 in Washington, DC. On the 70th anniversary of NATO, Trump and Stoltenberg discussed the trans-Atlantic alliance's successes and its 'evolving challenges,' according to the White House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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While the White House lavished acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan with praise upon announcing his nomination to head the department on Thursday, President Trump reportedly had reservations about the pick, Politico reported.

Shanahan was invited to the White House at least twice in the past two weeks to speak with Trump. The acting secretary reportedly expected to be nominated during those meetings, but left both times without an offer.

Trump even admonished him in one of the meetings for, what he sees as, the Pentagon’s lack of progress on building his border wall. The Pentagon’s been tasked with funding construction projects on the southern border ever since Trump declared a national emergency to get his pet project built.

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