Two people, including a House Democratic aide, said concerns about Johnson’s tenure in the Obama administration have improved Austin’s position among Caucus members. Johnson was criticized for allowing hundreds of drone strikes targeting civilians, along with a record of increasing family detentions and accelerating deportations.
Renee, a CBC member close to Biden. “I would be happy if both were chosen,” Benny Thompson (D-Miss) told Politico.
“A lot of people are anxiously waiting to see what it feels like after the cabinet is complete, but also note the fact that the number of African Americans needs to be better than they are at this point.”
The Biden team saw Austin Stein as a safe choice, a former defense official close to the transition said the retired general is considered a good soldier who will advance the president-elected agenda.
“Instead of Johnson or Flournoy, Instein will have less stress as defense secretary,” the man said. Maybe no less disagreements … the relationship will be easier. “
Aust Stein declined to comment by a spokesman. A spokesman for the Biden transition team also declined to comment.
National Stein’s candidacy met with resistance from some national security experts, who noted that he had not been out of the military for the required seven years and would need an apology from Congress to become Secretary of Defense. If elected, he would become the Pentagon’s second chief in just four years for the need for such an amnesty, after President Donald Trump chose Jim Mattis, another former head of Central Command, for his first defense secretary in 2017.
Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University professor and a former Pentagon official, tweeted that she had called on the New York Times to select a woman as secretary of defense. “A lot of damage during the Trump era. Especially after Mattis, Kelly, MM Commaster, Flynn …. recently retired 4 star placed, no matter how spectacular, the top citizen sends the worst message in DOD mode. “
Austin Stein’s nomination could pose a problem on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties would be wary of making another exception for the retired general to lead the Pentagon. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, vowed to oppose a future amnesty for the post after Mattis was confirmed, arguing that Congress should make the exception “not more than once in a single paycheck.”
Another difficulty with Austin Stein is that he does not have as much star power as Mattis or the other four star executives of that period. “He’s not just knocking your socks off,” said a former defense official close to the transition.
CBC Chair Rep. Karen Bass (D-California) told CNN on Sunday that her caucus is backing both Defense Stein and Johnson for defense secretary, noting that a special CBC task force is meeting weekly with the Biden-Harris transition team.
But the situation was not unanimous among CBC members.
Rep. Of Maryland. Anthony Brown, the only CBC member of the Armed Services Committee, and Rip of Texas. Mark Villesy endorsed Flournoy in a letter to Biden last week.
The pair praised their experience with the Clinton and Obama administrations, which they say helped them get matched by China and the U.S. The military needs to rethink its efforts to revive anti-terrorism policies for a new era, and praised Flournoy, a “tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion in the nation. Security.”
And on Monday, House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith (D-W-Sh.) Came out in support of Florence.
“I’ve definitely sent a message to the Biden people that I think Michelle Flournoy is the best qualified person for the job. That doesn’t mean she’s the only person who can do this job … but I think Michelle Flournoy is uniquely qualified. .
In Stein has had a career with Firsts. He was the first black general to command an Army division in combat and the first to oversee the entire theater of operations. In 2013, President Barack Obama named Central Command, which is responsible for all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, where he oversaw operations against Islamic State during the 2014 large-scale occupation of Iraq and Syria.
Prior to his appointment to Central Command, Austin served as the top U.S. commander in Iraq, where he played a role in the Cold War that began in 2007 and led the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces in 2011. He was also the first Black Vice Chief of Army personnel, the second ranking officer of the service.
Aust Stein earned a name for avoiding the limelight and rarely participated in public events such as press conferences or think tank discussions.
He faced particularly tough questions in 2015 about the role of U.S. forces in training forces in Syria to fight Islamic State during the country’s civil war, admitting that the U.S. spent about 500 500 million, but trained only a handful of fighters. Is.
Another cloud hanging over the command at the time was allegations that Central Command had denied intelligence reports about the threat posed by the terrorist group and painted a bright picture of the progress of U.S. military efforts.
In 2017, Austin Stein’s order was cleared in an investigation by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense.
He retired in 2016 after 41 years and joined the board of directors of Raytheon Technologies, one of the Pentagon’s largest contractors. It is also on the board of Newcor, the largest producer of American steel Health care company Tenet. He is a trustee of the Charity Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Public records show that its own consulting firm, firm Stein Strategy Group, LLC in Great F, ls.
Brian Bender contributed to this report.
