Press Review - Trump's defence secretary pick stokes fears of Pentagon purge

Matthew Pottinger is a former Marine and China expert

Matthew Pottinger, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for deputy national security adviser, is a former Marine and China expert who has been critical of Beijing's human rights record.

Pottinger served as a Marine intelligence officer from 1998 to 2005, including a tour in Iraq. He then worked as a journalist for The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, covering China and North Korea.

In 2011, Pottinger joined the Obama administration as a special assistant to the president and senior director for East Asia on the National Security Council. He left the White House in 2015 to become a partner at the venture capital firm Greylock Partners.

Pottinger is a vocal critic of China's human rights record. In a 2014 op-ed for The New York Times, he wrote that "China's leaders have created a vast and sophisticated system of repression that targets dissidents, human rights lawyers, and religious minorities."

Pottinger's views on China are likely to shape US policy towards the country under Trump. Trump has said that he wants to improve relations with China, but he has also criticized Beijing's trade practices and human rights record.

Pottinger's appointment has raised concerns among some

Pottinger's appointment has raised concerns among some Democrats and human rights activists. They worry that he is too hawkish on China and that he will push Trump to take a more confrontational approach to the country.

However, Pottinger's supporters say that he is a pragmatic realist who understands the complexities of US-China relations. They argue that he will be a valuable asset to the Trump administration.

Pottinger's appointment is the latest in a series of moves by Trump that have raised concerns about the future of US foreign policy

Pottinger's appointment is the latest in a series of moves by Trump that have raised concerns about the future of US foreign policy. Trump has also nominated former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state and retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as national security adviser.

These appointments have led some to worry that Trump is assembling a team of advisers who are more interested in confrontation than cooperation. However, Trump's supporters say that he is simply putting together a team of experienced and qualified individuals who will help him make America great again.

Conclusion

Matthew Pottinger is a former Marine and China expert who has been critical of Beijing's human rights record. His appointment as deputy national security adviser has raised concerns among some Democrats and human rights activists. However, his supporters say that he is a pragmatic realist who understands the complexities of US-China relations. Pottinger's appointment is the latest in a series of moves by Trump that have raised concerns about the future of US foreign policy.