December 8, 2020 US President-elect Joe Biden has chosen retired General Lloyd Austin as his defense secretary, US media report. Biden and Gen Austin have so far made no public comments on the issue.

Meanwhile, CNN quoted a source as saying that Biden had offered the job over the weekend – and the general had agreed.

The four-star general in 2013-16 led the US Central Command, whose area of responsibility includes the Middle East, Central Asia and part of South Asia. Austin is known as a battlefield commander. But he is less known for his political instincts, and has sometimes stumbled in congressional hearings.

Before that Gen Austin was vice-chief of staff of the army and the last commanding general of the US forces in Iraq. During these years he worked closely with Biden, who was vice-president in the Barack Obama administration.

If confirmed by the Senate, Gen Austin would make history as the first African-American to lead the country’s 1.3 million active-duty troops and the enormous bureaucracy that backs them up.