Picking up on an earlier comment... Shanahan has recused himself from issues involving Boeing as DepSecDef. However, that means that as acting SecDef, he's hands-off with the single biggest procurement program by far, and he has his opinions about that...
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/...ntagon-1064203
That leaves the authority with USD (AT&L) Ellen Lord, but the problem is that she has to contend with the service chiefs.
I must say that I find it amusing that the usually voluble F-35 fankiddy community is silent about the SecDef's reported remarks....