Biden nominates Black Air Force General as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
US President Joe Biden nominated General Charles Brown for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday, praising the Black career pilot as a hero who had not only survived ejecting from a fighter jet into a swamp but had also fought against racism.
If confirmed by the Senate, General Charles “CQ” Brown would become Biden’s senior military advisor.
He would be only the second Black man ever chosen for the job, and his confirmation, alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, would mark the first time that African Americans have simultaneously held both of the military’s top positions.
“General Brown is a warrior descended from a proud line of warriors,” Biden said in the White House Rose Garden, acknowledging Brown’s military family.
As a pilot with 3,000 logged hours, including 130 in combat, Brown “knows what it means to be in the thick of battle and how to keep your cool,” Biden stated during the nomination ceremony.
Biden lightened the mood by recounting how Brown’s F-16 jet once caught fire and he had to eject into a Florida swamp. “A lot of fun, huh?” Biden chuckled.
Biden praised the general as someone whose career has provided him with “unmatched first-hand knowledge” of US military operations worldwide, earning respect from “our allies and partners.”
“He plays to win,” Biden added, “and that will be an enormous asset to me as commander in chief and to the United States of America as we navigate challenges in the coming years.”
As the Pentagon’s top military officer, Brown would work to “maintain a combat force capable of deterring and defeating any potential threat,” Biden said.
He also emphasized the need to manage the competition with China and address the reality of renewed Russian aggression in Europe.
Brown would preside over an era where “emerging technologies, from AI to 3D printing, could fundamentally change the character of conflict,” the president noted.
Biden, who has prioritized promoting minorities to top positions in his government, portrayed Brown’s nomination as part of celebrating “the most American of ideas, the most evident truth—that all women and men are created equal.”
Biden recalled Brown’s previous testimony on “his own experience of racism and his deep love for our country,” acknowledging the courage it took for him to speak out.
If confirmed by the Senate, General Brown will replace Army General Mark Milley, who served a four-year term that included the tumultuous end of the Donald Trump presidency.
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