Biden’s potential Pentagon nominee faces skepticism
WASHINGTON — Lloyd Austin, the retired Army general who is reportedly Presidentelect Joe Biden’s choice for Defense secretary, already faces a gauntlet of questions from both sides of the aisle even before his nomination has come to Capitol Hill.
The Senate must confirm all Cabinet nominees. But in Austin’s case, he would also need to obtain from both the Senate and the House a waiver from a law that bars retired military officers from becoming Defense secretary within seven years of leaving the service. He would be the second man within four years to require that waiver and the third in history.
Austin, 67, would be the first African American to be Defense secretary. Despite the prospect of a historic first in that regard, early reaction to reports of Austin’s coming nomination, including concerns surrounding civilian control of the military, suggests Biden could have a battle on his hands to get Austin confirmed — including from Democrats.
“General Austin has had an incredible career,” Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin said, “but I’ll need to understand what he and the Biden administration plan to do to address these concerns before I can vote for his waiver.”
Despite a flurry of criticism Tuesday, some believe Austin would still be confirmed.
“There will still be serious questions raised about civil- military relations, the threat posed by China, and how to more effectively and efficiently counter violent extremism, but they won’t derail the nomination,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, an analyst with the American Enterprise Institute.