Measure to slash defense sec’s salary shows 'growing animosity between conservatives and military leaders'

28 September 2023

During the George W. Bush years, far-right Republicans often attacked Democrats as weak on national defense — especially if they openly opposed the invasion of Iraq. But these days, Republican anti-Democrat messaging on the military is much different.

It isn't uncommon for Republicans to slam Democrats, including the Biden Administration, for making the U.S. military "woke" — or criticize military aid to Ukraine. One of their targets is Gen. Lloyd Austin, defense secretary under President Joe Biden: House Republicans, on September 27, approved a measure to cut Austin's salary from more than $221,000 per year to only $1.

Military Times reporters Leo Shane III and Bryant Harris, however, note that the move is merely symbolic — as it has "little chance of becoming law." But they point out that it "underscores the growing animosity between conservatives and military leaders reporting to President Joe Biden."

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"House Democrats dismissed the move as little more than a political stunt," Shane and Harris report. "As part of debate on the fiscal 2024 defense appropriations bill, GOP lawmakers approved multiple similar proposals to cut salaries for Defense Department positions they dislike."

The reporters add, "The Pentagon's director of diversity and inclusion, the head of the department's equity and inclusion office, the military's chief diversity officer, and the assistant secretary of defense for readiness — a transgender woman — were all targeted with amendments that would trim their annual salary to less than $1."

Shane and Harris note that the proposed salary cut for Austin is "unlikely to advance beyond the House, given Democratic control of the Senate and Democratic dissatisfaction with the defense budget bill."

Read Military Times' full report at this link.

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