Legal Statement. Former Homeland Security Secretary and former general counsel for the defense department Jeh Johnson is also on the president-elect's list, as is Lloyd Austin, the former head of U.S. Central Command, according to multiple Democratic sources. By Bo Erickson, Margaret Brennan, Ed O'Keefe and David Martin Updated on: November 30, 2020 / 9:12 PM / CBS News Both the House and the Senate have now approved a waiver for Retired General Lloyd Austin to serve as Secretary of Defense, an important hurdle for one of President Biden's key Cabinet nominees. Austin has a sterling reputation among current and former military leaders. Retired Army General Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that he would work to rid "racists and extremists" from the ranks of the U.S. military and focus strategically on Asia if ultimately confirmed as President-elect Joe Biden's defense secretary. While Michèle Flournoy is a strong contender, people close to the president-elect say he's not entirely sold. It’s not the qualifications of the retired four-star general that’s at issue. President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he plans to nominate retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as his secretary of defense. Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller pulled the plug on briefings with the Biden transition team, according to Axios and the Washington Post. Joe Biden is reportedly considering Michèle Flournoy, a former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during President Barack Obama's administration, as his top pick to serve as the Secretary of Defense. Transition. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin answers questions at his confirmation … If confirmed, Austin would be the first Black leader of the Pentagon. Joe Biden could make history by selecting a woman to be his secretary of defense. "If confirmed, I will fight hard to stamp out sexual assault, to rid our ranks of racists and extremists, and to create a climate … ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. America needs a Defense Authorization Act, "The New Terrorism: How to Fight it and Defeat It,", The New Terrorism: How to Fight It and Defeat It. You can tell a lot about a man and a leader by how he treats his people, and by what those who have worked for him have to say. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy . Biden selected Austin over the longtime front-runner candidate, Michele Flournoy, a former senior Pentagon official and Biden supporter who would have been the first woman to serve as defense secretary. Lloyd Austin has come a long way from his birth in 1953 in Mobile, Ala., and his childhood growing up in Thomasville, Ga. Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller pulled the plug on briefings with the Biden transition team, according to Axios and the Washington Post. Rebecca Grant: Congressional override of Trump’s defense bill veto was inevitable. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Davidson was one of our best minds in the use of civil affairs and psychological operations to counter and delegitimize terrorist organizations with their own people. As vice chief of staff of the Army, Austin got personally involved in looking for solutions to the suicide epidemic. Biden: Austin is 'the person we need at this moment' to run Pentagon. Today, he selected General Lloyd Austin for secretary of defense, announcing that choice in an essay written for The Atlantic . Biden lays out COVID-19 strategy on first full day in office, National Guard allowed to rest in Capitol after being relocated to garage, McConnell proposing that impeachment trial start in February, Maryland lawmaker said to have tried to bring gun onto House floor, Doctor accused of stealing COVID vaccine to give to family, friends, How one nursing home stayed coronavirus-free and saved lives, NFL gives vaccinated health care workers free Super Bowl tickets, Kamala Harris to move temporarily to Blair House, PayPal boots Jenna Ryan, Texas Realtor who flew private jet to Capitol riot, Biden unveils COVID strategy with slate of executive orders. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is now the third Democrat in the Senate to oppose granting a waiver to President-elect Joe Biden’s defense secretary pick: retired Gen. Lloyd Austin. Our next secretary of defense will face a challenging national security landscape: China, North Korea, Iran, Russia and cyberwar, to just to name just a few of the challenges. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Joe Biden’s nomination of General Lloyd Austin to be secretary of Defense is in big trouble. Joe Biden has officially named Lloyd Austin as his pick for defense secretary in his incoming cabinet. The Black and Hispanic congressional caucuses are pushing hard to ensure proper representation, with members of the Hispanic Caucus calling for Mr. Biden to name at least five Latino Cabinet secretaries to ensure proportional representation. Some in Congress, along with some policy analysts, have argued against granting a waiver, saying that to ensure civilian leadership of the Defense Department, the required seven years of separation from military service must be maintained for the secretary. Former Under Secretary of Defense for policy Michele Flournoy is the leading candidate and would be the first woman to serve in the role. The seven-year separation from the military requirement is designed to ensure that a retired general won’t seek guidance just from former military colleagues, but will understand the role that the civilian community, through industry and academia, plays in our nation’s defense. Davidson introduced me to Austin at CENTCOM Headquarters. All rights reserved. Officials say Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist has been asked to serve as the acting secretary of defense for President-elect Biden until his choice to lead the Pentagon, retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, can be confirmed. If confirmed by the Senate, A… The transition team announced that Biden nominated Kathleen Hicks as deputy secretary of defense and Colin Kahl as undersecretary of defense for policy. Austin was also involved in the national security briefings that Mr. Biden received from experts outside government when he was not yet receiving the President's Daily Brief. Biden: Austin is 'the person we need at this moment' to run Pentagon. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate retired four-star Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to be secretary of Defense, according to people familiar with the decision. © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. If confirmed, the retired four-star Army general will be … Norquist has reportedly agreed. Instead, he saluted and carried out his mission, even though our civilian leadership was wrong. I hope the House and Senate swiftly approve a waiver to allow him to serve in the post (necessary because he retired from the Army less than seven years ago) and I hope the Senate goes on to confirm his nomination. Biden says he's willing to meet Trump, "if as... Senate confirms Biden's first Cabinet nominee, White House site allows users to choose their pronouns, U.S. allies "greatly relieved," but also wary as Biden steps up, California Privacy/Information We Collect. President-elect formally announces his nomination of retired Gen. Lloyd Austin for defense secretary Biden still searching for defense secretary. As a former Army officer and deputy assistant secretary of the Army for President George H.W. that he would announce his attorney general nominee sometime this week and his nominee for defense secretary on Friday. He sits on defense contractor Raytheon's board of directors. I have friends who have worked for Austin and they are pulling for him to be confirmed as our next secretary of defense because they know what his leadership will bring to the Pentagon. He was also a good friend and someone I trusted on all military matters. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR OPINION NEWSLETTER. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. WASHINGTON – Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced that retired four-star General Lloyd J. Austin III will be nominated to serve as the 28th United States Secretary of Defense. In order to serve as defense secretary, Congress would have to vote to exempt him from a law that says that military officers must have ceased active duty for seven years before serving as Pentagon chief. I also believe that when a person like Lloyd Austin has actually led our troops in combat he is much more likely to advocate committing U.S. troops only when there is a real American national security interest at stake and a clearly defined mission. Biden's considering of Flournoy for the Pentagon position comes after several media outlets on Saturday projected him as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Her business partner at global strategic advisory firm WestExec Advisors, Antony Blinken, is Mr. Biden's choice to be secretary of state. I have followed Austin’s career ever since and I’ve also been a fan. Biden extends student loan payment freeze, Who leads federal agencies until Senate confirms Biden's nominees, Climate activists expect a lot from Biden and aren't afraid to say so, Biden, in inaugural address, implores Americans to "end this uncivil war", Joe Biden's "Day One" actions and his promises for his first 100 days, Biden says he's willing to meet Trump, "if asked". For Democrats, this is especially true, considering the pressure being put on Biden to choose more racial minorities for his potential Cabinet. There are several candidates under consideration already. Austin is a quiet man who leads and a humble man who inspires confidence. Advertisement Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Van D. Hipp, Jr. is Chairman of American Defense International, Inc. However, if Austin were selected, he faces a couple of hurdles. President-elect Joseph R. Biden on Wednesday announced that he has nominated Kathleen Hicks to be his deputy secretary of defense. “President-elect Biden’s nomination of retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as our nation’s next Secretary of Defense is a historic choice, and I … "Look out for Lloyd Austin — he gets it and is the real deal," the late Army Maj. Gen. "Sandy" Davidson told me back in 2006. The next secretary of defense will need to immediately quarterback an enormous logistics operation to help distribute COVID-19 vaccines widely and equitably. Austin was the top U.S. commanding general on the ground in Iraq during the major Obama-era troop drawdown, and Mr. Biden met with Austin when he visited Iraq in 2011. By Bo Erickson, Margaret Brennan, Ed O'Keefe and David Martin, Updated on: November 30, 2020 / 9:12 PM But missing from that lineup is his choice for secretary of national defense. It also ensures that the secretary grasps what a young recruit is going through in basic training, and later when he or she is deployed and has left family members behind who depend on our military health system. Importantly, Austin didn’t run to the media when civilian leadership turned down his plan to ensure ISIS wouldn’t take hold in Iraq. Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Del. Austin is a trusted, trailblazing leader who brings deep experience serving as a top military commander and in critical Pentagon roles. President-elect Joe Biden formally announced retired four-star Army Gen. Lloyd Austin as his pick to be the 28th secretary of Defense. Gen. Davidson was right when told me that Austin "gets it and is the real deal.". Rose will serve as a senior coronavirus adviser to the secretary of defense. While serving in the Army he earned two master’s degrees. There are also complex challenges facing our military community domestically, such as the alarming suicide rate among our service members. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images). Biden also had considered Jeh Johnson, a former Pentagon general counsel and former secretary of homeland defense. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Joe Biden is set to nominate retired four-star Army general Lloyd J. Austin to be secretary of defense. James Carafano: Why did Trump veto military funding? You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Biden Facing Growing Pressure Over Secretary of Defense Pick Biden has already promised to enact a sweeping pandemic relief bill while overhauling health care, immigration and education systems and to fight for the most aggressive environmental protections in U.S. history WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden will nominate retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to lead the Pentagon, according to The Associated Press. Market data provided by Factset. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense, retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin testifies at his confirmation … A long-time national security advisor to President-elect Biden, serving as Deputy Assistant to President Obama and National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden; Previously Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Davidson was a big fan of Austin, who he worked for and who later went on to command U.S. Forces-Iraq and later serve as commander of the military’s Central Command. Biden’s choice for secretary of Defense still in flux . As I wrote of Austin: "If we had listened to him, I firmly believe ISIS, whose predecessor organization had largely been destroyed, would never have taken hold in Iraq — it would have been delegitimized from the start.". This incident shows that Austin understands the principle of civilian control of our military and that he deserves the congressional waiver he needs under the National Security Act of 1947 to serve as defense secretary only five years (rather than the required seven) after his Army retirement. President-elect formally announces his nomination of retired Gen. Lloyd Austin for defense secretary. Biden has reportedly narrowed his list down to three candidates: retired four-star general Lloyd Austin, Michele Flournoy, and Jeh Johnson. Biden administration says no. Austin or Johnson, if selected, would be the first African American defense secretary. And he would also require the same kind of waiver Congress granted James Mattis when he was nominated to be defense secretary by President Trump. Wednesday announced that he would announce his attorney general nominee sometime this and. 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