Donald Trump to appoint General James Mattis as Defence Secretary
US president-elect Donald Trump has said he will name General James Mattis as Defence Secretary.
Mr Trump made the announcement during a speech in Ohio, his first major rally since winning the election.
Mr Trump hailed Mr Mattis as a "true general's general".
Mr Mattis, 66, is known as "Mad Dog", and was an outspoken critic of President Obama's Middle East policy, particularly on Iran.
He had referred to Iran as "the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East".
Earlier this week, Mr Trump selected Republican US Representative Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.