In a rare move by the U.S. Senate, former General Lloyd Austin was confirmed as the next U.S. defense secretary on Friday. Typically retired generals have to wait seven years before assuming the role as head of the Pentagon but according to Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif. 3rd District), extenuating circumstances called for the Senate to confirm President Joe Biden’s pick.
Austin retired from the military in May 2016 but received a waiver from the House and Senate on Thursday. His confirmation was approved in the full Senate with a vote of 93-2.
“I have great confidence in him. He did a very, very good job at the hearing. Obviously he did a very good job in the military. and he has very significant challenges, challenges that he is particularly and uniquely capable of handling,” Garamendi told Cheddar.
Austin made history as the first Black person to be named head of the Pentagon and is just the 28th to hold the role. According to Garamendi, that, in part, qualifies him to handle an array of issues plaguing the armed services, including issues containing white nationalism, stopping racism, and ensuring minorities receive equal opportunities for promotion.
During his Senate hearing, Austin also emphasized that China remains a prominent threat to the U.S., signaling it will be another top priority once he is sworn in as defense secretary.
According to the U.S. Constitution, the position of the secretary of defense is a civilian-held role and the seven-year window between retirement and potential confirmation is to protect the government from potential coups. This is why the waiver was necessary for Austin, as it was for Gen. James Mattis, the first defense secretary to serve under President Donald Trump.
“Will it be a standard procedure? I would hope not, but the door is opened," Garamendi said.
Republicans dropped Rep. Jim Jordan on Friday as their nominee for House speaker, making the decision during a closed-door session after the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump failed badly on a third ballot for the gavel.
Canada has removed 41 of its diplomats from India as tensions rise between the two nations.
Mitt Romney said he believes right-wing media is the reason for the radicalization of the GOP party.
An Army private who fled to North Korea before being returned home to the United States last month has been detained by the U.S. military, two officials said Thursday night, and is facing charges including desertion and possessing sexual images of a child.
Israel bombarded Gaza early Friday, hitting areas in the south where Palestinians had been told to seek safety, and it began evacuating a sizable Israeli town in the north near the Lebanese border, the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.
The Justice Department has secured a $9 million settlement with Ameris Bank over allegations that it avoided underwriting mortgages in predominately Black and Latino communities in Jacksonville, Florida, and discouraged people there from getting home loans.
Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes on Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, and the country's defense minister told ground troops to “be ready” to invade, though he didn’t say when.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden has made his case for major U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel in a time of war.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that inflation remains too high and that bringing it down to the Fed's target level will likely require a slower-growing economy and job market.
Despite deepening opposition, Rep. Jim Jordan is expected to try a third vote to become House speaker, even as his Republican colleagues are explicitly warning the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no more threats or promises can win over their support.
