Biden also decided that Colin Kahl, another former Pentagon officer who oversaw Middle East Affairs, who was national security adviser to then Vice President Joe Biden, would be the undersecretary of defense for policies. Kahl is currently co-director of the Center for Security and International Cooperation at Stanford University.
In his previous positions at the Pentagon, Kahl played a leading role in withdrawing from Iraq, fighting Iran and strengthening US defense relations with Israel, according to the statement.
“These respected and talented civil leaders will help to lead the Department of Defense with integrity and determination, safeguard the lives and interests of the American people and ensure that we fulfill our most sacred obligation: to equip and protect those who serve our country, and to care for them and of their families during and after the service, “Biden said in a statement.
“Dr. Kath Hicks and Dr. Colin Kahl,” he added, “have the extensive experience and crisis-tested judgment needed to help address the litany of challenges we face today and all those we will face tomorrow. They will be partners in confidence to me, the vice president-elect and assigned secretary Austin – as well as our dedicated civilian and military team – as we work to restore responsible American leadership on the world stage. ”
Meanwhile, Kelly Magsamen, a former chief assistant deputy defense secretary for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs now at the Center for American Progress, will be the Pentagon’s chief of staff, officials told POLITICO.
Choosing Hicks it is, in a sense, an olive branch for a prominent group of women national security leaders who pressured Biden to choose Michèle Flournoy, another former Obama Pentagon official, for the top Pentagon post. Biden rejected Flournoy to choose Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star general, as his appointed secretary of defense.
Hicks “knows the building, a long history there. In addition, pickaxe to shatter glass, ”said one of the people. “Having gender diversity is important at the top.”
The move also sends a signal that Biden wants stronger civilian oversight of the military after the Pentagon’s civilian workforce declined in number and influence during President Donald Trump’s presidency. Some experts fear that the choice of another former military officer to command the Pentagon, just four years after Trump chose retired general Jim Mattis as his first defense secretary, could further undermine the building’s civilian control.
Austin said in a statement on Wednesday that Hicks and Kahl “share my strong belief that we need powerful civilian voices serving alongside military leaders in the Department of Defense to ensure that we are always accountable to the American people.”
It is also a reassuring signal to members of the national security community who have raised the alarm about Austin’s lack of experience in fighting China, which they believe is the Pentagon’s most urgent challenge. She helped implement Obama’s pivot for Asia at the Pentagon in early 2010 and wrote frequently about China’s rise.
Hicks did not respond to a request for comment. A transition spokesman declined to comment.
Tyler Pager contributed the report.