WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President-elect Donald Trump will appoint retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Trump's transition team said in a press release on Monday.
"Gen. John Kelly’s decades of military service and deep commitment to fighting the threat of terrorism inside our borders makes him the ideal choice to serve as our Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," the release quoted Trump as saying.
Trump added that Kelly is the right person to combat illegal immigration and improve coordination between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Kelly noted, "the American people voted in this election to stop terrorism, take back sovereignty at our borders, and put a stop to political correctness that for too long has dictated our approach to national security."
Kelly is the highest ranking US military officer to have lost a son in action in Afghanistan. 1st Lieutenant Robert Michael Kelly was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010.
Kelly's nomination still needs to be confirmed by the US Senate.
