Latest Lloyd Austin News

Gen. Milley delivers defense of democracy and swipes at Trump in farewell address

Sep. 29, 2023 15:22 PM EDT

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. (AP) — Army Gen. Mark Milley delivered a full-throated defense of democracy and not-so-subtle swipes at former President Donald Trump during a packed ceremony on Friday as he closed out his four, often tumultuous years as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff....

France's withdrawal from Niger could jeopardize counterterrorism operations in the Sahel

Sep. 27, 2023 10:46 AM EDT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The French troops withdrawing from Niger were seen as a key line of defense for about a decade in Western efforts against jihadi violence in Africa's Sahel region, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert. As the U.S. keeps pushing for a diplomatic...

US and Kenya sign defense agreement ahead of planned Haiti deployment

Sep. 25, 2023 12:55 PM EDT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The U.S. and Kenya signed a defense agreement Monday that will see the East African nation get resources and support for security deployments as it is poised to lead a multi-national peacekeeping mission to Haiti to combat gang violence. U.S. Defense Secretary...

Senate confirms chairman of joint chiefs as GOP senator still blocking hundreds of military nominees

Sep. 20, 2023 21:40 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Gen. CQ Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, putting him in place to succeed Gen. Mark Milley when he retires at the end of the month. Brown's confirmation on a 83-11 vote, months after President Joe Biden...

US defense chief urges nations to dig deep and give Ukraine more much-needed air defense systems

Sep. 19, 2023 16:46 PM EDT

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged allied defense leaders Tuesday to “dig deep" and provide more air defense systems for Ukraine to help it block increasing barrages of Russian missiles, even as debate grows in Congress over aid to Kyiv. But...

North Korean arms for Russia probably wouldn't make a big difference in the Ukraine war, Milley says

Sep. 16, 2023 15:03 PM EDT

OSLO, Norway (AP) — North Korea may be able to boost Russia's supply of artillery munitions for the war in Ukraine, but that is not likely to make a big difference, the top American military officer said as he arrived in Norway for NATO meetings that began Saturday and will focus in part on the...

Military officers begin to speak out on the harm done by Sen. Tuberville's holds on promotions

Sep. 16, 2023 00:23 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the months since a single senator froze military promotions over the Pentagon’s abortion policy, the uniformed officers affected have been largely silent, wary of stepping into a political fray. But as the ramifications of Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s freeze...

Editorial Roundup: United States

Sep. 13, 2023 00:34 AM EDT

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: Sept. 4 The Washington Post on changes to how to handle allegations of sex crimes in the U.S. military Few things at the Pentagon happen quickly, but rarely have its powers of delay been as...

Hundreds of military promotions are on hold as a Republican senator demands end to abortion policy

Sep. 07, 2023 12:53 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top defense officials are accusing Republican Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville of jeopardizing America's national security with his hold on roughly 300 military promotions, raising the stakes in a clash over abortion policy that shows no signs of easing. Tuberville...

Biden refuses to grant some of the conditions that 9/11 defendants were seeking in plea negotiations

Sep. 06, 2023 23:36 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has refused to approve some of the conditions that lawyers for the defendants in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks had sought in a possible plea bargain, ruling out a presidential guarantee that the five men would be spared solitary confinement and provided care...