White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on Wednesday applauded the military service and accomplishments of Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis.
Trump formally nominated Mattis, a former commander of U.S. Central Command, to be his Pentagon chief on Tuesday night.
"He has served his country with distinction, he is a decorated Marine Corps veteran," Earnest said, touting Mattis' military record.
Earnest said he was trying "not to comment on, pass judgment on, individuals that the president-elect put forward to serve in his Cabinet" because that has been the standard set by President Obama.
"This is really about General Mattis," Associated Press reporter Josh Lederman said. "It's about the fact that he is a general and that in order for him to be confirmed, there would have to be a waiver passed by Congress to permit that. It's kind of a different principal."
Earnest responded by noting that he would not speak further on Mattis because he does not want any of his commentary to be misconstrued as criticism of the general.
"He is somebody who has served this country with distinction under Democratic presidents," Earnest added.