FILE - The seal of the Department of Defense is seen on the podium at the Pentagon, Sept. 27, 2022, in Washington. The Pentagon says the U.S. is sending an additional “few thousand” troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to be prepared to defend Israel if necessary. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
FILE - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks in Greenwich, London, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool, File)