Biden taps retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as defense secretary, 1st Black Pentagon chief

WASHINGTON, DC — President-elect Joe Biden will nominate retired four-star U.S. Army general Lloyd J. Austin to be secretary of defense.

That’s according to four people familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the selection hadn’t been formally announced.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Austin would be the first Black Pentagon chief.

Austin retired from the Army in 2016, which means he would require a congressional waiver to take the job.

One of the people who confirmed the pick said Austin’s selection was about choosing the best possible person but acknowledged that pressure had built to name a candidate of color and that Austin’s stock had risen in recent days.