Joe Biden's Curious Defense of Gen. Lloyd Austin

In The Atlantic, the president-elect touts his nominee's handling of the Iraq withdrawal and is notably silent on China.

Thomas Joscelyn
Dec 9, 2020 20
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - DECEMBER 09: U.S. Army (retired) General Lloyd Austin speaks after being formally nominated to be Secretary of the Department of Defense by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden at the Queen Theatre on December 09, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. The only African-American to have headed U.S. Central Command, Lloyd Austin, 67, is a four-star general who was in charge of American forces in Iraq from 2010 to late 2011. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of defense. (Photograph by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.)

Earlier this week, President-elect Joe Biden announced that he would nominate retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of defense. Biden’s choice proved to be immediately controversial for two reasons. First,…

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