The US Senate on Friday confirmed
retired general Lloyd Austin as the new Secretary of Defence, AFP reported.

With the confirmation, Austin became
the second cabinet nominee for President Joe Biden and the first ever man from
the African American community to lead the Pentagon.

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Despite requiring a waiver due to not
having spent the sufficient number of years after military service in order to be
nominated for the designation – one reserved for civilians – Austin garnered huge
support from both the Democratic and the Republican parties.