The Senate confirmed former Lockheed Martin [LMT] International executive John Rood to be undersecretary of defense for policy by an 81-7 vote late Jan. 3.
Among those voting no was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who complained that many top defense officials appointed by the Trump administration come from major defense companies, creating potential conflicts of interest. 
“No American should have to wonder whether the Defense Department is acting to protect the national interests of our nation or the financial interests of the five giant defense contractors,” Warren said.
Rood told the Senate Armed Services Committee, which approved his nomination in November, that he would recuse himself from matters involving his former employer and that if he needed a waiver from the two-year recusal to promote national security or U.S. interests, he would seek the defense secretary’s approval and notify the committee (Defense Daily, Nov. 30, 2017).
At a committee hearing on his nomination, Rood said the United States should consider missile defense improvements, including ways to counter growing cruise and hypersonic missile threats (Defense Daily, Nov. 17, 2017).