Sen. Tom Cotton
Cotton, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees, has developed a reputation as a top defense hawk in just four years in the chamber. A top critic of national security policies in the waning years of the Obama administration, the Arkansas Republican has since positioned himself as one of Trump’s top Senate backers.
The 41-year-old former Army officer, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been mentioned as a possible pick for secretary of Defense or CIA director.
But he’s also one of the most conservative members of the Senate and has been unafraid to ruffle feathers among his colleagues, so Cotton could have a bumpy confirmation process. It’s also unclear if he’d abandon a safe red-state Senate seat for a Cabinet post.
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