By The Associated Press
The winner of the presidential election, Joe Biden, predictably will take the historic step of appointing a woman as head of the Pentagon, one of the few positions in the presidential cabinet that has always been filled by men.
Michele Flournoy, a Pentagon veteran and politically moderate
, is viewed by officials and people familiar with Biden's plan as a favorite for the job.
[Follow the political news minute by minute after Biden's victory]
Five men have held the Pentagon headquarters under the presidency of Donald Trump.
The latest, Mark Esper, was fired by Trump on Monday after expressing dissent on issues such as troop withdrawals and the use of military forces to suppress civilian demonstrations.
The future holds for the new official a reduced military budget and the possible use of the armed forces for the distribution of a vaccine against the coronavirus.
After losing the election, Trump fires his defense secretary Mark Esper
Nov. 9, 202002: 47
Flournoy
had been the candidate for the post if Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election
.
His name appeared early on as a favorite for a position in Biden's cabinet, officials said, speaking on condition of not being identified.
Considered a calm-minded person and a supporter of military cooperation abroad, Flournoy, 59, has held various positions at the Pentagon, the most recent of which was the undersecretary of Defense for political affairs from 2009 to 2012.
[Trump places loyal officials at the helm of the Pentagon during the delicate stage of transition to the Biden Administration]
He is currently a member of the board of directors of Booz Allen Hamilton, a defense contractor, which could raise objections from some legislators.
But his moderate positions would likely win him bipartisan support for a position that requires Senate confirmation.
[50-state tally ends: Biden wins Electoral College for the same as Trump won in 2016]
Other names for the position have been mentioned, such as former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, but
the appointment of a woman would be consistent with Biden's promise of a diverse cabinet
.