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A military official who has served with Caine and known him for over a decade previously told CNN that while there has been a narrative he was chosen as the next chairman “because he’s a partisan guy … I’ve never seen any indication that, and knowing him, he’s never been partial to any political party or mentioned anything about politics in our time together.”

The bipartisan support for Caine was largely apparent during his confirmation hearing Tuesday, with senators from both sides of the aisle thanking him for his years of service and telling him they looked forward to working with him.

Caine acknowledged Tuesday that he is an “unconventional nominee,” but said these are “unconventional times.”

“It is 9:48 p.m. in Beijing, 6:48 p.m. in Tehran, 4:48 p.m. in Moscow, and 10:48 p.m. in Pyongyang. As we sit here now, our nation faces an unprecedented rising global risk,” Caine said. “Our adversaries are advancing, global nuclear threats are on the rise, and deterrence is paramount. Our national defense requires urgent action and reform across the board. We must go faster. We must move with a sense of urgency.”