U.S. President Joe Biden praised the leadership skills of Air Force Chief General Charles Q. Brown, officially announcing his nomination to become the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Biden said at the White House on Thursday, "General Brown has built a strong reputation among the forces as a steady and highly influential leader. Someone who creates an environment of teamwork and trust."
Biden was standing alongside Brown, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the announcement. Harris is the first Black woman to serve as Vice President of the United States, and Austin is the first Black Defense Secretary.
Biden urged the Senate to approve his nominee, but the timeline for the approval process is not yet clear.
If the Senate approves his appointment, Brown will become the second Black officer to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff, following Colin Powell, who held the position from 1989 to 1993.
On Wednesday, officials revealed Biden's selection of Brown as the nominee to replace outgoing General Mark Milley. This comes at a time when Washington is providing billions of dollars in military equipment to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion and is closely monitoring China's actions regarding Taiwan.
