119th Congress Nominee record
John Noh
Latest nomination Department of Defense
- Nomination records
- 1 nomination record
- Cited sources
- 3 cited sources
- Nomination snapshot
At a glance
John Noh’s background combines Army infantry service, federal prosecution and Indo-Pacific policy work. He previously served as deputy general counsel to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. The department’s April 2026 chronology records him beginning assistant-secretary service on December 29, 2025.
Nomination outcomes below are from the Oct 14, 2026 snapshot. Congress.gov may show subsequent actions.
Career and documented accomplishments
- The Defense biography identifies Brown University and Stanford Law School as his educational institutions, followed by private cross-border investigations and cartel prosecutions as a Southern District of Texas assistant U.S. attorney. [1]
- He served in Afghanistan as an Army infantry platoon leader; the department records a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. [1]
- The official chronology separates his earlier performance of assistant-secretary duties from January to June 2025 from the later December 2025 appointment. [2]
Role and nomination context
- The Indo-Pacific policy office advises senior department leadership on regional security strategy and oversees security cooperation, including Foreign Military Sales. Its portfolio includes China, East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. [3]
- Current departmental pages use the secondary title Assistant Secretary of War. The official history explains that the September 2025 executive order authorized this secondary wording; it does not treat the wording as a statutory renaming. [2]
Nomination history
PN246-12: Assistant Secretary of Defense
Confirmed- Recorded name
- John Noh
- Organization
- Department of Defense
- Listed state
- Texas
- Received
- Latest action
- Recorded vote
- 53–43
Latest recorded action
Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 43. Record Vote Number: 655.
What the sources establish
- The older biography names a deputy role; current leadership and the dated chronology establish the later assistant-secretary path separately.
- No inference is made about degree subjects, appointment-day Senate votes or the results of regional policy initiatives.
Sources and review date
Career and role sources reviewed . These sources may describe developments beyond the nomination snapshot; each nomination entry retains its recorded date and outcome.
- John Noh: official career biography
U.S. Department of Defense. Reviewed .
- Key officials: April 2026 assistant-secretary chronology (PDF)
Office of the Secretary of Defense Historical Office. Reviewed .
- Indo-Pacific Security Affairs office: mission and leadership
Office of the Under Secretary for Policy. Reviewed .
Understanding these records
PN means presidential nomination. Each numbered record tracks a proposal sent to the Senate.
A Senate confirmation approves a nomination; it is not proof of current tenure or an appointment taking effect. These entries show received dates and the latest recorded action, rather than a complete legislative action timeline.
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