Lloyd Austin

Biography

Lloyd James Austin III is a retired US Army general and the 28th US Secretary of Defense, serving from 2021 to 2025 under the Biden administration. Prior to his defense secretary role, he held notable positions as commander of US Central Command, vice chief of staff of the Army, and commander of US Forces – Iraq. He is the first African American to hold these positions and has received multiple combat commands in Iraq and Afghanistan at various levels.