PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — President-elect Joe Biden said his nominee for defense secretary, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, is the “person we need at this moment” as he formally introduced Austin at the Queen Theater in Wilmington Wednesday. The nomination is historic but controversial.
The president-elect said he’d personally witnessed Austin’s cool under fire, his leadership, his skill in pulling off the military’s largest logistic undertaking in decades in withdrawing from Iraq — skills that would serve him well since Biden wants the Pentagon to oversee COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
And Biden praised Austin’s efforts to bring inclusion and diversity to the military.
“He was the first African-American general officer to lead the Army corps in combat. He was the first African-American to command an entire theater of war and if confirmed, he’ll be the first African-American at the helm of the Defense Department in well over 200 years,” Biden said.
But Austin’s confirmation is far from certain. He retired four years ago and the law requiring civilian leadership of the military says a former officer must be out of uniform for seven years.
Related
Biden said he respects the law but this moment in U.S. history calls for a waiver. Austin promised to manage as a civilian.
“I recognize that being a member of the president’s cabinet requires a different perspective and unique responsibilities from a career in uniform. I intend to keep this at the forefront of my mind,” Austin said.
Both Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey voted for a waiver for Jim Mattis four years ago, but were noncommittal on Austin.
A spokesman for Toomey said the senator "will review the qualifications of President-elect Biden’s choice to run the Defense Department when the Senate considers that nominee next year.”
Casey's office sent a statement from the senator that reads, in part, “I look forward to getting to know Gen. Austin better through the confirmation process and working with the Biden Administration to reclaim U.S. global leadership.”