Biden hails historic Pentagon pick, but some Democrats in bind

WILMINGTON, DEL. – President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday introduced his choice for secretary of defense, calling retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin the right man for a potentially volatile moment in global security while hailing the prospect of the first African American to lead the Pentagon.

But the nomination is putting some congressional Democrats in a political bind. In the past, they've opposed naming recently retired military officers to a post typically occupied by civilians, yet they don't want to defy their party's incoming president nor be seen as blocking history.

"He is the right person for this job at the right moment," Biden said at a Delaware event with Austin, adding, "He's loved by the men and women of the armed forces, feared by our adversaries, known and respected by our allies."

The choice has both won applause and provoked consternation on Capitol Hill.

Three years ago, Congress waived a law prohibiting the appointment as defense secretary of military officers who have been retired fewer than seven years. That allowed confirmation of President Donald Trump's choice for the post, retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis.

Now the Mattis period is viewed by some as an argument against waiving the rule again. Mattis' critics say he surrounded himself with military officers at the expense of a broader civilian perspective.

A wavier for Austin, who served 41 years in the Army and retired in 2016, would require some Democrats to reverse themselves over waivers. Biden said his pick understands the need to keep a clear distance between military and civilian rule, but he added, "Just as they did for Jim Mattis, I am asking Congress to grant a waiver."

Austin said he comes to "this new role 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. … I intend to keep this at the forefront of my mind."

His nomination as the first Black leader of the Pentagon could have even more resonance at a time of extraordinary racial tension in the country.

Before Mattis, the last time Congress approved a waiver was in 1950, for retired Gen. George Marshall. The waiver would have to be approved by both congressional chambers, giving the House a rare say over a nomination that otherwise would require only Senate confirmation.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her support, calling Austin "particularly well-positioned to lead during this precarious moment."

In the Senate, though, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer struck a cautious tone, saying, "I'm going to have to study that." He added, "Bottom line is that Austin's a very good nominee."

Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at the time of the Mattis confirmation, "Waiving the law should happen no more than once in a generation. … Therefore, I will not support a waiver for future nominees."

Now Reed is suggesting he'd be open to the possibility for Austin.

Civilian control of the military has long been rooted in Americans' wariness of large standing armies with the power to overthrow the government they are intended to serve. That is why the president is the civilian commander in chief.

With the Senate almost evenly divided politically, Biden will need some Republican support — which may be forthcoming in some quarters. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said, "I always support waivers."

Austin is widely admired for his military service, which includes leading troops in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and overseeing U.S. military operations throughout the greater Middle East as head of Central Command.

As Austin was introduced, people familiar with Biden's plans said the president-elect is set to nominate Katherine Tai to be the top U.S. trade envoy. Tai is chief trade counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Tai earlier oversaw China trade enforcement for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, setting U.S. strategy in trade disputes with China.