President Richard Nixon appointed Weinberger as the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. He was nicknamed "Cap the Knife" because he was good at cutting wasteful spending. When Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980, Weinberger was appointed Secretary of Defense, the job responsible for military affairs. While at this job he saw a military buildup meant to be a force against Soviet aggression. He felt that if the United States had a stronger military it could better deal with the Soviet Union.