Women serving in the U.S. military are “some of the finest in the world,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told NBC News. Austin had been asked about recent remarks from Pete Hegseth that the U.S. “should not have women in combat roles” and that “men in those positions are more capable.”
Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to succeed Austin.
“They do impact readiness,” Austin said of women service members. “They make us better. They make us stronger.”
Trump and Hegseth want to reverse Pentagon diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Austin said the military will remain a meritocracy, NBC reported.
“We’re a diverse nation, and we’re going to remain a diverse nation,” Austin said. “Our military is going to remain a diverse military.”
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