, Columnist
Biden’s Defense Secretary Inherits a Military-Civilian Crisis
Lloyd Austin must tackle great-power rivalry, terrorist threats and criticism that he wore four stars.
The laughs won’t last.
Photographer: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
General Lloyd Austin has always been considered a committed, patriotic public servant. Until recently, he was not considered a potential secretary of defense.
President-elect Joe Biden threw the first major curveball of his transition by picking Austin over Michele Flournoy, who had been the consensus front-runner given her high-level Pentagon experience and strong reputation with Democrats and Republicans alike.