The resignation of US Secretary of Defense James Matisse raises controversy in American and foreign circles, especially with regard to the person nominated for his successor in this vital post. The Hill magazine believes that one of the following is a candidate to succeed him:

Former Senator Kelly Ayut
Sources close to President Trump's administration have referred to Senator Ayut as a potential successor to the Defense Ministry as successor to Matisse. Ayut was one of those who were talked about taking up this post before Matisse was nominated to take over.

The former New Hampshire senator has a strong defensive background, having previously chaired a committee on the Armed Forces Council while in Congress.

Ayut was a vocal opponent of the Iranian nuclear deal of 2015. It also called for tougher sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

She also appeared as a candidate for management positions, including the director of the FBI after Trump expelled James Coomy in May 2017.

But some of Ayut's positions may make her at odds with Trump, including her views on the withdrawal of troops from the Middle East.

Former President Barack Obama has criticized his withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 and may have had the same feeling about Trump's intention to withdraw his forces from Syria.

While in the Senate, she was known as one of the "three friends" with late Senator John McCain, an anti-Trump opponent. And Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been at odds with Trump in recent days over Syria, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, and that apart from this dispute, he is a strong ally of the president.

Senator Tom Cotton
There has been speculation for months that Couten, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Services Committee, could be assigned a major role in the Defense Department or the CIA.

As a former army officer who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, Cotten made a name for himself in the Senate as a defense hawk, and supported Trump in major political moves against Iran.

If elected at the age of 41, Kuten will be the youngest to hold the position in the modern American memory.

Cotten disagreed with Trump about announcing plans to withdraw US troops from Syria and Afghanistan, issues he believes also led to Matisse's resignation.

It is complicated whether Coton will leave his safe seat in the Senate for a ministerial post and whether Trump will choose anyone from the Senate.

David McCormick
McCormick, a former Treasury official, was named a possible replacement for Mattiece by The Washington Post in September when speculation emerged that Matisse might leave in the post-mid-term period.

McCormick is a veteran of the first Gulf War. During the administration of former President George W. Bush, he served as Treasury Secretary for International Affairs after serving as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Security and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Policy.

He is now co-CEO of the world's largest investment fund, Bridgewater Associates.

He is said to have a social relationship with a circle that includes Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kouchner, who serve as senior advisers at the White House.

Patrick Chanahan
Trump was often relied upon by deputies when he could not find a replacement for the prime minister, and this could be in favor of former CEO Patrick Patrick Shanahan.

The second most senior civilian in the Pentagon has a broad institutional background. He began his career at Boeing in 1986 and was the first vice president of the company's operations before being nominated for management in early 2017.

Shanahan was not known to be close to Matisse.

Former Senator Jim Talent
Shortly after the 2016 election, the Trump transition team pushed Talent to the post of defense secretary who served on the Armed Services Committee and maintains strong ties with Congress. Trump had already met in New York. Unlike many other Republicans in 2015 and 2016, Talent did not criticize Trump during his last campaign.

Talent is currently serving on the US and China Economic and Security Review Committee and was appointed to this post by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for two years ending in 2019.

James Carafano, a Defense Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation and a member of the Trump Transition Team, asked who could replace Matisse, saying Talent or Senator John Kell was likely to know about national security issues.

It is noteworthy that the Republican presidential candidate Mt Romney had chosen Talent for the post of defense minister in 2012.