Pentagon chief purges defense boards of Trump appointees
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered hundreds of Pentagon advisory board members to resign this month as part of a broad review of the panels, essentially purging several dozen last-minute appointments under the Trump administration.
WATCH: House votes on waiver for Biden defense secretary nominee Lloyd Austin
Thursday's 326-78 vote would grant a waiver that would exempt Austin from the seven-year rule. All signs point to quick action in the Senate after that, putting Austin on track to be confirmed as secretary by week's end.
WATCH: Gen. Lloyd Austin’s full opening statement in Senate confirmation hearing
Addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee, Austin, who served 41 years in the Army, vowed to surround himself with qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions.
WATCH: Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin’s Senate confirmation hearing for defense secretary
The Senate typically confirms some nominees, particularly the secretaries of defense, state and treasury, on Inauguration Day, though raw feelings regarding Trump led to Democratic-caused delays four years ago.
Austin retired from the Army in 2016, which means he would require a congressional waiver of the legal requirement that a former military member be out of uniform for at least seven years before serving as secretary of defense.
Black leaders have encouraged the incoming president to select an African American to diversify what has so far been an all-white prospective Cabinet, while others are pushing him to appoint a woman to lead the Department of Defense for the…
The new plan will accelerate troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan in Trump's final days in office, despite arguments from senior military officials in favor of a more methodical pullout.
President Donald Trump says he has fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper. It's a stunning move on the heels of Trump’s failed reelection bid. It could also unsettle U.S. allies and partners.
Mark Esper, an Army veteran and former defense industry lobbyist, won Senate confirmation Tuesday by a vote of 90-8, ending the longest period the Pentagon has gone without a confirmed leader in its history.
Additional Support Provided By:
