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General Lloyd Austin

Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin is Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense; he would be the first Black person to lead the Pentagon if confirmed. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Austin, a four-star general, to lead the Pentagon, according to the Associated Press. Like President Donald Trump's first defense secretary, James Mattis, Austin will require a congressional waiver to serve, as he is a recent military retiree. Federal law requires seven years of retirement from active duty before taking on the position. Ref. USAToday.

Austin Lloyd General

Senate confirms Lloyd Austin as the nation's first Black defense secretary, the second nominee of President Biden to pass the chamber. Austin's confirmation process wasn't without bumps. Controversy flared over a law barring recently retired military officers from serving as the defense secretary, but top Democrats lined up behind Austin's nomination, citing the need for Biden to have his national security team in place after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The law requires that troops be retired for seven years before taking the post. Ref. USAToday.

General Lloyd Austin History & Civil Business Politics

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III holds a press briefing about the US military drawdown in Afghanistan, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC September 1, 2021. The US military carried out strikes on three sites used by Iran-backed forces in Iraq on December 25 after an attack wounded American personnel earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. Source 2p.

Austin Lloyd General

Remain 'subtle': Lloyd Austin's security wanted no sirens or lights on his ambulance. USA TODAY obtained audio of the call Lloyd Austin's security detail made ahead of his Jan. 1 hospitalization. They requested the ambulance approach his house in a subtle way. Source 1j.

Austin Lloyd General

Strange all the secrecy behind his operation and why not even the president was told. Why doesn't he want anyone to be involved especially since it was an elective surgery.