On Memorial Day, Austin reflects on strength of US military and dismisses adversaries' criticism
CNN
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told CNN he won't lose any sleep over US military forces from China and Russia and dismissed accusations by some conservative politicians and media figures that the US military's latest recruiting efforts to attract more diversity and be more inclusive are weakening America's security.
The US military will never be "soft," Austin told CNN's Barbara Starr in a wide-ranging Memorial Day interview, adding that America's adversaries, like China and Russia, "would like to capitalize on talking points like that." "I will not lose one minute of sleep about what the Chinese leadership is saying or what (Russian President) Vladimir Putin is saying. What I will focus on, and what I am focused on is the defense of this nation, and making sure that we have what's needed to be successful," the defense secretary said in the exclusive interview that aired Monday.More Related News