Austin pledges to run DOD as a 'civilian leader' -- not a general

Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin said today he understands the importance of civilian control of the U.S. military and pledged to protect that if confirmed as defense secretary.

"When I concluded my military service four years ago, I hung up my uniform for the last time and went from being Gen. Lloyd Austin to Lloyd Austin," he said today during a media event with President-elect Biden.

"It's an important distinction, and one that I make with utmost seriousness and sincerity," Austin continued. "I come to this role now as a civilian leader -- with military experience to be sure -- but also with a deep appreciation and reverence for the prevailing wisdom of civilian control of our military."

Since retiring from the military in 2016, Austin has become a board member at Raytheon Technologies and several other companies.

Biden's selection of Austin has drawn concern from several former defense officials and some lawmakers as the law requires Congress to grant the former four-star a waiver to serve because he has been retired for less than seven years.

The waiver was approved for retired Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis to become defense secretary in 2017, the first time in nearly 70 years.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a former Pentagon official who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, has tweeted that Biden "choosing another recently retired general to serve in a role designed for a civilian just feels off."

Slotkin said she wants to hear more from Austin and the Biden administration before she can commit to vote for a waiver.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) has said he supports granting a waiver for Austin, though he would like to meet with him to address concerns related to civilian control of the military.

Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), whom, after supporting a waiver for Mattis said he would never do so again, released a statement last night saying he would "carefully review" Austin's nomination.

Austin, the former chief of U.S. Central Command who would be the first black defense secretary in U.S. history if confirmed, said he recognizes that being a member of the presidential cabinet would require a "different perspective and unique responsibilities from a career in uniform."

"I intend to keep this at the forefront of my mind, and I look forward to surrounding myself with experienced, capable civilian appointees and career civil servants who will enable healthy civil-military relations grounded in meaningful civilian oversight," he said.

Biden said he understands and respects the law requiring Austin's waiver.

"I would not be asking for an exception here if I did not believe this moment in our history didn't call for it -- and if I didn't have the faith I do in Lloyd Austin," he said. "The civil-military dynamic has been under great stress these past four years, and I know that Secretary-designate Austin will work tirelessly to get it back on track."