Former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin receives Germany's highest honor
Photo: former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (Getty Images)
Germany has honored former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with its highest state award for his role in strengthening Europe’s security and supporting Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has presented former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the country’s highest national distinction, recognizing his key role in strengthening transatlantic security and supporting Ukraine.
During the ceremony, Pistorius praised Austin as "a true friend of Germany" who believes in the strength of the German armed forces and in the country’s role within the European Union and NATO. He emphasized that Austin’s leadership had made "security relations more trusting than at any time in recent decades."
Special tribute was paid to Austin’s efforts to reinforce the US military presence in Germany and to his pivotal role in establishing the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which has coordinated global military aid to Kyiv. Austin personally chaired many of the group’s meetings at Ramstein Air Base, turning it into a symbol of Western unity.
The award also underscored Austin’s legacy of partnership and strategic reliability, a contrast to the policy shifts introduced by his successor, Pete Hegseth, who scaled back US participation in the Ramstein format and abandoned several Pentagon programs on diversity, inclusion, climate change, and COVID-19 vaccination.
Hegseth also criticized Austin for revisiting the Medal of Honor awards given to soldiers involved in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre, a move Austin defended as part of a broader effort to confront historical injustices within the US military.
Throughout his tenure, Austin stressed that the diversity of the US Armed Forces reflects the diversity of the nation, arguing that inclusivity strengthens operational effectiveness and global credibility.
Meanwhile, Pistorius recently told reporters at the Warsaw Security Forum that Berlin is preparing legal changes to allow the German military to shoot down Russian drones, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Germany is no longer living in peacetime, given the surge in hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure.
