According to a report, U.S. Army General Lloyd J. Austin (Ret.) is under consideration to lead the Department of Defense under a Biden administration.
Axios on Friday reported that former Vice President Joe Biden has placed Austin on a shortlist to be the next DoD secretary.
This comes after the Trump administration began the formal transition process through the General Services Administration.
President Donald J. Trump tweeted earlier this week that he still believes he will be found to have won the 2020 general election following ongoing legal challenges.
“I believe we will prevail!” he said. “Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that [the GSA head] and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”
Regardless, Biden is proceeding on the assumption that he is the president-elect, and on Tuesday he unveiled much of his national security team:
Secretary of State: Tony Blinken
National Security adviser: Jake Sullivan
Director of National Intelligence: Avril Haines
Department of Homeland Security Secretary: Alejandro Mayorkas
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Special presidential envoy on climate: John Kerry
Notably absent from this list was a secretary of Defense nominee.
Axios on Friday explained that “[Michele] Flournoy had been widely seen as the likely pick, but Axios is told other factors — race, experience, Biden’s comfort level — have come into play.”
This follows U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), a top Biden ally who was viewed as key in Biden winning the Democratic nomination for president this year, and other prominent Black Democrats already publicly lobbying for Biden to do better when it comes to diversity among cabinet selections.
Austin would be the first Black DoD secretary in American history.
He currently serves on the Auburn University board of trustees and was born in Mobile, Alabama.
After a nearly 41-year decorated military career, Austin retired in 2016 as a four-star general. Some of his former posts include service as the commander of U.S. Central Command, commander of the Combined Forces in Iraq and Syria, and as the 33rd vice chief of staff of the Army.
Austin is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and holds master’s degrees from Auburn and Webster University. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Auburn, and his wife, Charlene, is also an Auburn graduate.
Additionally, the retired general currently serves on the board of directors for Raytheon Technologies and Nucor, both of which have large Alabama presences.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
