Retired General Lloyd Austin, nominated by President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden, to lead the Department of Defense, said Tuesday that he said he would ban the Donald Trump administration’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the armed forces. will roll back.
“I do believe, Senator, that, as I said in my opening address, if you are fit and qualified to serve and can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve (in the armed forces),” Austin said. answer a question. Asked by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at her confirmation hearing.
“And you can expect to support that at all times,” emphasized Austin, testifying before the Senate’s Armed Services Committee.
In this way, Austin, who, if confirmed, will become the first African-American Secretary of Defense, spoke out on the measure Trump announced in July 2017, when he announced his intention to ban all transgender people from serving in the military .
Months later, the Defense portfolio presented an ordinance stating that people with “a history of gender dysphoria” were disqualified from military service, except under limited circumstances, but did not recommend the expulsion of members of the armed forces who had already volunteered. to sex reassignment surgery.
During the session, Austin spoke about the role of US forces in the world and said they should focus their efforts on Asia, where he believed China would be the “main challenge” and described Iran as “a destabilizing force.” .
On Afghanistan, he indicated that he would like to see how this conflict ends with a negotiated agreement: “I think we will do everything we can to make this happen,” he stressed.
“I think this conflict has to end, you know. We have to make sure that an agreement is reached, and as the president-elect wants to see, I believe in the future we want to see an Afghanistan that poses no threat. for the United States … “, he stressed.
On the eve of his departure from the White House, Trump recalled in a videotaped speech Tuesday that he is “the first president in decades to have not started new wars.”
During his tenure, Trump’s defense policy was marked by a withdrawal of troops from areas of operations such as Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan.
“I am especially proud to be the first president in decades who has not started new wars,” he emphasized in his videotaped speech.