Biden picks Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as next Joint Chiefs chairman

Washington: President Joe Biden will announce Thursday that he is tapping Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a history-making fighter pilot with deep knowledge of China, to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Brown’s confirmation would mean that, for the first time, both the Pentagon’s top military and civilian positions would be held by African Americans. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the first Black Pentagon chief, has been in the job since the beginning of the administration. The only other Black person to serve as Joint Chiefs chairman was Army Gen. Colin Powell.

The nomination has been long expected. If confirmed by the Senate, Brown would replace Army Gen. Mark Milley, whose term ends in October, as the nation’s next top military officer.

Biden saw Brown as the right person for the job because of his work modernizing the U.S. fleet of aircraft and its nuclear arsenal and his years of experience in shaping U.S. defenses to meet China’s rise, a senior administration official said. He’s also been deeply involved in the Pentagon’s efforts to equip Ukraine with billions of dollars in U.S. weaponry as Kyiv tries to fend off Russia’s 15-month old invasion.

Image courtesy of Fox News

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