Trump names pick for Air Force secretary
President-elect Trump on Thursday named Troy Meink, a top spy chief who has previously served as a missile engineer, as his pick for secretary of the Air Force.
Trump said in a statement on Truth Social that Meink would work with his Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth "to ensure that our Nation’s Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the World, as we secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH."
Meink is the principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency in charge of building and maintaining U.S. spy satellites.
He has served in the position since 2020, when Trump was in his first term. Meink was first appointed in 2017 during Trump's first term to director of geospatial intelligence systems acquisition at the NRO.
Meink, from Lemmon, S.D., entered the Air Force in 1988 through the college program Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) before becoming a KC-135 tanker navigator and then a lead test engineer for ballistic missile tests at the Missile Defense Agency.
Meink has also served in previous roles as undersecretary of the Air Force for space and the director, executive agent for space staff and assistant director of national intelligence for systems and resource analyses at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
If confirmed by the Senate, Meink will oversee critical programs for the Air Force, including the Sentinel program modernizing the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile system. The program has ballooned in costs, but the Air Force considers it a national security priority.
The Air Force is also working on critical programs for artificial intelligence drones and for next-generation aircraft.
Trump's new "Department of Government Efficiency," helmed by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and billionaire Elon Musk, are also considering steep cuts to Pentagon waste. Musk has specifically called out the F-35 fighter jet program.
Trump named his pick for the Navy as businessman John Phelan in November.
Topics
-
Trump's choice for treasury secretary questioned on the economy
Scott Bessent, President-elect Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, was pressed about Trump's economic plans at his Senate confirmation hearing. NBC News' Garrett Haake reports.NBC News - 6h -
Energy Secretary Pick, Chris Wright, Has Been an Evangelist for Fossil Fuels
Wright, the founder of a fracking firm, testified that he would back all forms of low-carbon energy as well as gas, oil and coal.The New York Times - 1d -
Trump Treasury secretary nominee won’t support raising minimum wage
Scott Bessent, President-elect Trump’s Treasury secretary nominee, said Thursday that he would not support raising the minimum wage. Bessent, if confirmed, would not have the authority to raise ...The Hill - 8h -
Doug Burgum, Trump’s Interior Secretary Pick, Had Business Conflicts in Office
Doug Burgum, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to be interior secretary, said he would sell some holdings if confirmed. He held on to his investments while running North Dakota.The New York Times - 17h -
Israel's Air Force blazes air superiority path to Iran's border
Yahoo News - 2d -
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's defense secretary pick, faces confirmation hearing
The first confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks is taking place Tuesday for Pete Hegseth, selected to lead the Department of Defense. Senators are expected to ...CBS News - 2d -
Confirmation hearing for Trump's VA secretary pick delayed
The confirmation hearing for President-elect Trump's pick for the next the secretary of Veterans Affairs, former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), has been delayed by a week until Jan. 21. Sen. Jerry ...The Hill - 3d -
Can Trump Change the Name of the Gulf of Mexico?
Presidential naming powers usually stop at the water’s edge.The New York Times - Jan. 8 -
Trump critic named new Washington archbishop
Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, a critic of President-elect Trump, was named the new archbishop of Washington on Monday. Pope Francis named McElroy, who is the bishop of San Diego, to replace Cardinal ...The Hill - Jan. 6
More from The Hill
-
Eric Adams to meet with Trump ahead of his inauguration
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is set to meet with President-elect Trump in Florida on Friday just days ahead of Trump's inauguration next week, according to Adams’s aide. “Tomorrow, Mayor ...The Hill - 2h -
Former FEMA director to Congress: 'Give it back its independent agency status,' direct access to president
Former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Michael Brown said that Congress should give the disaster relief agency back its “independent agency status,” allowing it direct ...The Hill - 2h -
Biden won't enforce TikTok ban: Reports
Reports allege that President Biden will not enforce the TikTok ban slated to take effect on Sunday, just one day before the presidential inauguration, according to multiple reports, including by ...The Hill - 3h -
Biden says he spent too much time on policy, not enough on politics
President Biden said that he spent too much time on policy and not enough time on politics while reflecting on his presidency in his final interview just days away from leaving office. Biden sat ...The Hill - 3h -
Biden says goodbye to the troops
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Bien says goodbye to the troops President Biden on Thursday ...The Hill - 4h
More in Politics
-
Eric Adams to meet with Trump ahead of his inauguration
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is set to meet with President-elect Trump in Florida on Friday just days ahead of Trump's inauguration next week, according to Adams’s aide. “Tomorrow, Mayor ...The Hill - 2h -
Former FEMA director to Congress: 'Give it back its independent agency status,' direct access to president
Former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Michael Brown said that Congress should give the disaster relief agency back its “independent agency status,” allowing it direct ...The Hill - 2h -
Biden won't enforce TikTok ban: Reports
Reports allege that President Biden will not enforce the TikTok ban slated to take effect on Sunday, just one day before the presidential inauguration, according to multiple reports, including by ...The Hill - 3h -
Georgia senator arrested after trying to enter House chamber
Georgia State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican, was arrested when he tried to enter the state House chamber after a previous ban.NBC News - 3h -
Biden says he spent too much time on policy, not enough on politics
President Biden said that he spent too much time on policy and not enough time on politics while reflecting on his presidency in his final interview just days away from leaving office. Biden sat ...The Hill - 3h