Mark Esper is the main contender for the post of US Defense Secretary, Military Times reported Tuesday.

Esper is currently Acting Secretary of Defense. According to the approval procedure for the head of the Pentagon, a person who is in the status of an acting officer cannot take the post of minister. The new head of the Pentagon should be appointed before the end of July.

Based on this, the Military Times concludes that the Pentagon will be headed by Esper, whose candidacy was put forward earlier by US President Donald Trump.