Lloyd J. Austin

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From left to right, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Australia's Deputy Prime Minster Richard Marles, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pose for a photo at Queensland Government House in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, July 29, 2023. (Pat Hoelscher/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. pledges to help Australia manufacture guided missiles by 2025

By Rod McGuirk - Associated Press

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin holds a press briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley at the Pentagon on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Pentagon’s Austin accuses China of ‘bullying’ in Indo-Pacific

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a news conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley (not shown) at the Pentagon in Washington, on July 18, 2023. Austin met with Papua New Guinea leaders on Thursday, July 27, 2023, to discuss developing the Pacific Island nation’s military strength and deepening security ties, as the United States competes with China for influence in the Indo-Pacific region. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

U.S. Defense Secretary Austin meets with Papua New Guinea leaders about boosting security ties

By Rod McGuirk - Associated Press

In this image made from video, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape sign agreements in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Monday, May 22, 2023. The United States signed a new security pact with Papua New Guinea on Monday as it competes with China for influence in the Pacific. (Australian Broadcasting Corp. via AP)

South Sea scramble: Blinken, Austin lead challenge to China’s Pacific Islands clout

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, right, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, Sunday, June 18, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a closely watched visit to Beijing on Monday, during which he met with China's top diplomats and held talks with President Xi Jinping. However, Blinken failed to land the biggest ask on his agenda: restoring China-U.S. military communications. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Blinken’s visit to China fails to restart military-to-military talks

By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times

Weapons are loaded on a U.S. F-16 fighter jet as it prepares to take part in the African Lion military exercise, in Ben Guerir, Morocco, June 14, 2021. President Joe Biden on Friday, May 19, 2023, endorsed plans to train Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, according to two people familiar with the matter, as he huddled with allies at the Group of Seven summit on how to bolster support for Kyiv against Russia's invasion. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File)

Austin: Ukraine’s fight with Russia a marathon rather than a sprint

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin, arrives for the opening dinner for the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, Friday, June 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

New Cold War? U.S., China defense chiefs square off in Singapore

By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks before a Senate Appropriations hearing on the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 16, 2023. As the United States and China vie to establish new partnerships and expand influence with Asia-Pacific nations, the top defense officials from both nations are preparing to try to win support this weekend from their regional counterparts, diplomats and leaders at a security forum in Singapore. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Australian PM Albanese stresses need for diplomacy, guardrails in dealing with China

By David Rising - Associated Press

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada shake hands at the end of a joint press conference after their meeting at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo Thursday, June 1, 2023. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. defense chief Austin calls China’s refusal to meet unfortunate during visit to Tokyo for talks

By Mari Yamaguchi - Associated Press

Members of the Naval Academy's class of 2023 toss their caps in the air at the conclusion of the U.S. Naval Academy's graduation and commissioning ceremony at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Friday, May 26, 2023 in Annapolis, Md. (Jerry Jackson /The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Defense secretary tells Navy graduates they are ready to serve

By Brian Witte - Associated Press

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., speaks during the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade on Commodity Programs, Credit and Crop Insurance hearing at Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 2, 2023, (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Democrats complain Tuberville’s hold on promotions for generals hurts national defense

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers his speech during the opening of the meeting of the 'Ukraine Defense Contact Group' at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Friday, April 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Austin seeks to stem discord with allies over document leaks

By Lolita C. Baldor - Associated Press

President Joe Biden watches as a carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif., during a casualty return Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Nikoui died in an attack at Afghanistan's Kabul airport, along with 12 other U.S. service members. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Despite deaths and chaos, Biden admin. has ‘no regrets’ over Afghanistan withdrawal

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on the fiscal year 2024 budget request of the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Defense Secretary Austin: ‘No regrets’ over chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

Syrian army soldiers fire their weapons during a battle with rebel fighters at the Ramouseh front line, east of Aleppo, Syria, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

Lawmakers slam Biden’s response to surging strikes by Iran-backed militias

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, right, accompanied by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) **FILE**

Pentagon pressed on Ukraine endgame as skepticism takes root with some lawmakers

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

Adm. John Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command commander, speaks at a news conference at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, on June 30, 2022. Adm. Aquilino said Monday, Aug. 1, that he wants to expand and strengthen its ties with New Zealand. His visit to Wellington comes as the U.S. is looking to increase its presence in the region amid deep concerns over China's growing ambitions in the Pacific. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy, File)

Chinese military commanders refuse talks with U.S. admiral

By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks during a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) **FILE**

Military moves to cut suicides, but defers action on guns

By Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor - Associated Press

A U.S. MQ-9 drone is on display during an air show at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. A Russian fighter jet Tuesday, Marc 14, 2023, struck the propeller of a U.S. MQ-9 drone surveillance drone over the Black Sea, causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters, the U.S. military said, an incident that highlighted soaring U.S.-Russian tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini, File)

‘That’s U.S. property’: Pentagon races to find drone wreckage as Russia launches recovery mission

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

Demonstrators wave flags during a protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government to overhaul the judicial system, outside the offices of the conservative Kohelet Policy Forum think tank, which is helping spearheaded the overhaul to Israel's judiciary, in Jerusalem, Thursday, March 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Netanyahu airlifted to airport after protesters block road

By Tia Goldenberg - Associated Press