Photo: Reuters
WILMINGTON, Delaware. (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden has chosen retired General Lloyd Austin, who oversaw U.S. forces in the Middle East under President Barack Obama, to be his defense secretary, a person familiar with the decision said on Monday.
Austin, who would be the first Black U.S. secretary of defense, was a surprise pick over Michelle Flournoy, the woman considered the leading contender for the job. Flournoy would have been the first woman defense secretary. The news was first reported by Politico.
Austin will need a waiver from Congress since it has been less than the required seven years since he served. He would be the second Pentagon chief in four years to require a waiver, after President Donald Trump picked James Mattis, a retired Marine general, to be his first defense secretary.
The nomination of Austin, who headed U.S. Central Command under Obama, could draw fire some progressive groups given his role in retirement on the board of a number of companies, including weapons maker Raytheon Technologies Corporation.
Read more from the original article:
إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء الواردة هنا تعبر فقط عن رأي الكاتب، ولا تمثل الموقف الرسمي لـ Followme. لا تتحمل Followme مسؤولية دقة أو اكتمال أو موثوقية المعلومات المُقدمة، ولا تتحمل مسؤولية أي إجراءات تُتخذ بناءً على المحتوى، ما لم يُنص على ذلك صراحةً كتابيًا.
اترك رسالتك الآن