Bet on Who Trump Chooses as Secretary of Defense

BetOnline.ag is currently taking bets on who President-Elect Donald Trump will select as his Secretary of Defense.  We take a look at each of the available options and their payout odds.

Trump, on Thursday, announced his first cabinet appointee, Susie Wiles, to serve as his chief of staff.  Wiles was one of Trump's two campaign managers.

Mike Waltz

Mike Waltz is listed as the early favorite to be selected as Trump's Secretary of Defense at a price of -150.  This means you will be betting $150 to win, or profit, $100.  That $150 stake (bet) is returned as well provided Waltz is selected.

He is a colonel in the United States Army serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district who was first elected in 2018 and succeeded Ron DeSantis.

Waltz worked in the Pentagon as a defense policy director for secretaries of defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates and also served in the White House as the vice president's counterterrorism advisor. Waltz is an accomplished author as well, having had published "Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret's Battles from Washington to Afghanistan."

Among the various China-related bills he has co-sponsored are measures designed to lessen U.S. reliance on critical minerals mined in China.

Mike Pompeo

Mike Pompeo served as CIA director and secretary of state during Trump's first term and at one time was considered a top contender for secretary of defense.

Pompeo had once flirted with running against Trump in the Republican primary but never did.  He is back on friendly terms with the president-elect after a period of awkwardness. He stands out as possibly the fiercest defender of Ukraine among Trump's close allies.

Pompeo did have the second shortest odds of being selected Trump's Secretary of Defense at +325, which means that a $100 bet pays out $325 with the initial $100 wager refunded provided Pompeo is chosen.

On Saturday November 9, Trump confirmed he will not be choosing Pompeo to serve in his new cabinet.

Brian Hook

Brian Hook pays out $425 on a $100 bet.

He served as U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Senior Policy Advisor to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from September 2018 to August 2020. He was the Director of Policy Planning under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton  is a former Army officer serving as the junior United States senator from Arkansas since 2015. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015.

Cotton has long been among the most staunchest allies of the president-elect.