<P> The President of the United States is , according to the Constitution , the Commander - in - Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces and Chief Executive of the Federal Government . The Secretary of Defense is the `` Principal Assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense '' , and is vested with statutory authority ( 10 U.S.C. § 113 ) to lead the Department and all of its component agencies , including military command authority second only to the President . </P>
<P> The President of the United States is , according to the Constitution , the Commander - in - Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces and Chief Executive of the Federal Government . The Secretary of Defense is the `` Principal Assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense '' , and is vested with statutory authority ( 10 U.S.C. § 113 ) to lead the Department and all of its component agencies , including military command authority second only to the President . </P>
who is the principal assistant to the president in all matters relating to the dod
who is the principal assistant to the president in all matters relating to the dod
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of Defense