Tag: Defense Secretary Austin

GOP’s Tom Cotton repeatedly cuts off America’s first Black defense secretary as he fumes over diversity training

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During a hearing this Thursday, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) rattled off a list of examples of what he says is law enforcement and the military introducing “woke” ideology into their training systems that “rewrites America’s history” and paints America as a systemically racist country.

He then turned to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin — who happens to be America’s first Black Defense Secretary — and asked him, “Do you believe that our military is a fundamentally racist organization? Yes or no, please.” 

“Well, I won’t give you a yes or no answer on that, sir, because it deserves more than a yes or no,” Austin replied. “The military, like any organization, will have its challenges. I do not believe it is a fundamentally racist organization.” Continue reading.

Pentagon chief approves extension of National Guard deployment at the Capitol; Biden continues selling relief package to public

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday approved a request from the Capitol Police to extend the deployment of National Guard members to protect Congress into May, defense officials said, keeping a military presence around one of the nation’s major landmarks for two more months.

Meanwhile, the Senate voted Tuesday to move forward on confirming two of President Biden’s Cabinet picks, Merrick Garland for attorney general and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, setting up final confirmation for both on Wednesday afternoon.

Biden and senior administration officials plan to continue trying to sell the public on the benefits of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan after it passes, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday, adding that the effort will include some travel by the president. Aplanned final House vote slated for Wednesday would send the measure to Biden’s desk. Continue reading.

Seeking to combat extremists in ranks, the military struggles to answer a basic question: How many are there?

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faces an early test as he races to advance a major initiative targeting far-right extremism in the ranks, a challenge that officials acknowledge is complicated by the Pentagon’s lack of clarity on the extent of the threat following the U.S. Capitol riot.

Austin’s highly unusual order for a military-wide “stand-down,” slated to pause normal operations in coming weeks so troops can discuss internal support for extremist movements, underscores the urgency of the task ahead for the retired four-star general, who last month became the nation’s first African American Pentagon chief.

The Jan. 6 events at the Capitol, in which Trump supporters stormed Congress in an attempt to prevent President Biden from taking office, laid bare the appeal of white-supremacist and anti-government groups among some veterans and, in smaller numbers, currently serving troops. Among the 190 people charged in the siege, at least 30 are veterans. Three are reservists or National Guard members. Continue reading.