{"id":54317,"date":"2020-12-08T21:31:23","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T21:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smg.go-vip.net\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/08\/bidens-defense-secretary-pick-raises-concerns-over-recent-military-service\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:42:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:42:11","slug":"bidens-defense-secretary-pick-raises-concerns-over-recent-military-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/08\/bidens-defense-secretary-pick-raises-concerns-over-recent-military-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden\u2019s defense secretary pick raises concerns over recent military service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/11\/07\/biden-elected-president-but-trump-disputes-results\/\" target=_blank>President-elect Joe Biden\u2019<\/a>s decision this week to name retired <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/transition\/2020\/12\/07\/report-biden-picks-lloyd-austin-retired-army-general-as-defense-secretary\/\" target=_blank>Gen. Lloyd Austin III<\/a> as his pick for defense secretary drew immediate concerns from lawmakers worried about another recently retired officer taking over the department\u2019s top civilian post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/valor.militarytimes.com\/hero\/88304\" target=_blank>Austin<\/a>, 67, served in the Army for 41 years and was head of U.S. Central Command before his retirement in 2016. If confirmed, Austin will be the first African-American to hold the Cabinet post since it was established in 1947.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, doing so will require a waiver from Congress, since Austin\u2019s retirement came less than seven years ago. When lawmakers created the defense secretary post 73 years ago, they included a 10-year wait (lowered to seven years in 2008) for any veteran seeking the post as a way of emphasizing civilian control of the U.S. military.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/transition\/2020\/12\/08\/report-biden-picks-lloyd-austin-retired-army-general-as-defense-secretary\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/lloydaustin_hearing.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden picks Lloyd Austin, retired Army general, to lead Pentagon<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Austin would require a wavier from Congress to serve.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement Tuesday, Biden said that he hopes lawmakers will grant the waiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI respect and believe in the importance of civilian control of our military and in the importance of a strong civil-military working relationship at Department of Defense, as does Austin,\u201d he wrote in a piece for the Atlantic. \u201cWe need empowered civilians working with military leaders to shape DoD\u2019s policies and ensure that our defense policies are accountable to the American people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAustin also knows that the secretary of defense has a different set of responsibilities than a general officer and that the civil-military dynamic has been under great stress these past four years. He will work tirelessly to get it back on track.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers have only made an exception to the rule twice: in 1950, when George Marshall was nominated by then President Harry Truman; and in 2017, when Jim Mattis was nominated by then President-elect Donald Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the latter case, 16 Senate Democrats voted against the waiver, saying that they had concerns about the precedent set by Mattis\u2019 nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., supported the move but announced in a hearing that \u201cI will not support a waiver for future nominees, nor will I support any effort to water down or repeal the statute in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Biden nominates Austin, the waiver issue could create a difficult decision for those same members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Reed told reporters that he would \u201chave to measure [Austin\u2019s] aptitude and qualities\u201d before making any decisions on the nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of the reasons that we were able to reach the position on the waiver (before) is Mattis had the opportunity to testify and made some compelling arguments,\u201d he said. \u201cIn all fairness, you have to give the opportunity to the nominee to explain himself or herself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. \u2014 one of those 16 who voted no in 2017 \u2014 said he was inclined to vote against a waiver for Austin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought Mattis was a great secretary. And I think this guy is gonna be a great secretary of defense,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cI just think that we ought to look at the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and another of the 16 no votes, praised Austin as \u201ca trailblazer throughout his exemplary career in military service\u201d but added that \u201cI remain opposed to granting a waiver to anyone with significant, recent military experience serving in this post because it contravenes the constitutional principle that demands civilian control of our military.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although only senators will vote to confirm the next defense secretary, both chambers will have to approve a waiver. On Monday, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and a key moderate voice in the party\u2019s House caucus, tweeted that \u201cchoosing another recently retired general to serve in a role designed for a civilian just feels off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several Republicans also voiced reservations about the pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and a Marine Corps veteran, wrote on Twitter Monday night that \u201c(the) Mattis waiver was supposed to be a one off, not the start of a trend that\u2019s bad for civ-mil relations.\u201d Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and an Army veteran, wrote that \u201cformer generals as SecDef should be the exception not the norm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/11\/17\/bidens-pick-for-va-secretary-may-be-a-post-911-veteran\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20298556461384.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden\u2019s pick for VA secretary may be a post-9\/11 veteran<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Former congressman Patrick Murphy and current Sen. Tammy Duckworth are among the names under consideration for the job.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said he didn\u2019t share those concerns. When asked by reporters if he would support a waiver, he replied \u201con him and really almost anyone else. I\u2019ve never thought we should have to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C. \u2014 whose endorsement of Biden was seen as a key factor in his primary victory \u2014 praised Austin as an important choice whose experience outweighs the other issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThose [waiver] concerns are legitimate and I think we ought to look at all the requests with an eye toward why a waiver is being requested,\u201d he told CNN on Tuesday, but added \u201cit\u2019s not unprecedented.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In the many hours we&#39;ve spent together in the Situation Room and with our troops\u2014I&#39;ve witnessed General Austin&#39;s character. <br><br>He shares my belief that we are strongest when we lead not only by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7TB9X12sjL\">https:\/\/t.co\/7TB9X12sjL<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JoeBiden\/status\/1336413742792323077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The job of secretary of defense is purpose-built to ensure civilian oversight of the military. That is why it requires a waiver from the House and Senate to put a recently retired military officer in the job.<\/p>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorSlotkin\/status\/1336307441278070786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin III will need a waiver from Congress to serve in the Pentagon&#8217;s highest civilian post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":61610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":86,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"4":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"5":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"6":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"7":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"10":{"categories":["congress","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","pentagon"],"primary_category":"congress"}}},"categories":[84,29,116,117,15,86,25,88],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3347,3431],"class_list":["post-54317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-election-2020","category-home","category-left-column","category-middle-column","category-news","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans","category-your-military"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"ARFVJ3PIQFAEBDYC5UKLSGTUNU","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/08\/bidens-defense-secretary-pick-raises-concerns-over-recent-military-service\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Biden\u2019s defense secretary pick raises concerns over recent military service - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Retired Gen. 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