Austin, 67, was previously the first black general in the US Army’s Central Command (CENTCOM). He was also the highest-ranking soldier during the operations in Iraq under Barack Obama’s presidency. He retired in 2016.
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Biden has gathered a diverse cabinet around him. In addition to the first female vice president, who is also the first black and half-Asian ‘VP’, he appoints two Latinos to the important posts of Homeland Security and Health, and a black woman as UN ambassador.
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And that comes as no surprise, according to Mouthaan: “Biden becomes president thanks to minorities. Most white Americans voted for Trump. Without the overwhelming support of black voters and Latinos in particular, Biden would have lost out to the president. Activists representing groups are therefore demanding. that he would come with a varied cabinet in terms of the origins of the ministers. “
It is remarkable that Biden chooses a former general as chief of Defense, says Mouthaan. “In democratic countries it is customary for that ministerial post to be explicitly occupied by a civilian, to indicate that the army is acting on behalf of civilians.”
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Rules stretched by Trump
It was President Trump who appointed a general, Jim Mattis, for the first time in modern history. “For that he needed special permission from the Senate. Biden may need that too. This is an example of a rule that has been stretched by Trump, and which is now being followed by Biden.”
Biden has said that he will be filling in a number of important cabinet posts before Christmas. He wants to announce the name of the Minister of Justice this week and later this month also the filling in of the posts of the Interior and the Ministry of Trade.
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