President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of the Army has withdrawn from consideration, White House officials confirmed Friday.
Vincent Viola is West Point graduate and billionaire businessman who founded Virtu Financial Inc. and is owner of the Florida Panthers NHL franchise.
He is the first nominee to drop out before consideration. The White House officials did not give a reason for the move.
Related: Trump Taps Vincent Viola as Army Secretary
Viola’s decision was first reported by the Military Times, which said the move was partly due to strict Defense Department rules concerning business ties. The news organization said Viola said in a statement he was "deeply honored" to have been nominated.
