On February 9, POLITICO published an article titled “Lloyd Austin takes first steps to repair a battered Pentagon.” In this piece, Forward Defense and Transatlantic Security Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Kathleen J. McInnis was quoted on the state of civil-military relations during the Trump administration, noting the erosion of civilian oversight that took place at the Pentagon.
A preponderance of evidence suggests that over the past decade, OSD’s ability to perform [its civilian] mission has been degraded due to headquarters reductions, budget cuts, furloughs, and the failure to appoint and confirm civilian leaders … As a result, tasks and issues migrated to the joint staff.
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