"It's an honor and a privilege to serve as our country's 28th Secretary of Defense, and I'm especially proud to be the first African American to hold the position," Austin tweeted after his confirmation. "Let's get to work."
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he United States Senate confirmed Lloyd J. Austin III as the Defense Secretary on January 22. This puts the first Black American in charge of all military action of the Pentagon by a nearly unanimous vote of 93-2. Shortly after his 124
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confirmation, Lloyd was sworn in by Tom Muir, the acting director of Washington Headquarters Services. Austin in a tweet said that it was an “an honor and a privilege” to serve in his position as the defense secretary, noting that he was “especially proud” to be the first African American to hold such a position. The Pentagon reported that Austin, immediately after taking the office, assumed his roles and was part of an intelligence briefing and meetings with his Deputy, David Norquist, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley. THE POWER IS NOW MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2021
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LLOYD AUSTIN MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN DEFENSE SECRETARY IN U.S.
