President Joe Biden has chosen the commander of the United States Air Force, General Charles Brown, to become the highest-ranking officer in the US military. Brown will succeed retired General Mark Milley.
Two government officials said Biden would formally announce the appointment on Thursday. Brown, a former fighter pilot, is believed to have been chosen in part because of his years of experience in the Pacific, where tensions between the United States and China have risen in recent years.
Brown’s nomination has not been confirmed by the United States Senate. When this will happen is not clear. Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville has blocked military nominations since February because he believes the Pentagon should not cover military abortion expenses.
If confirmed, Brown will become the second black chief of the General Staff after Colin Powell (1989-1993).
Brown is known as an introvert, in contrast to his outspoken predecessor, Mark Milley. In 2021, for example, Milley criticized the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has also repeatedly called for peace negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine, at times when both Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have spoken out against it.
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