WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- elect Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary is still up in the air, but it is a sure bet he will look to reshape the Pentagon and pick a loyalist. During his tumultuous first term, five men held the job as Pentagon chief only to resign, be fired or serve briefly as a stopgap.

While he has yet to announce a decision, the names of potential Pentagon chiefs stretch from the well known - such as Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee - to an array of former administration loyalists, including retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who held national security posts during Trump's first term.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had been floated, but Trump said on social media Saturday that Pomp...