“I've had a front row seat... at the greatest stage in our history in terms of, you know, being able to watch our troops in action, and watch the things that they will do for each other, the sacrifices they make for this country and for each other.”

American retired army general and defense official

Lloyd James Austin III is a retired United States Army general and American defense official. He served as the 28th United States secretary of defense from 2021 to 2025 in the Biden administration. Austin spent much of his career in the U.S. Army before taking on one of the country’s highest civilian defense posts. He is known for leading the Pentagon during a period of major national security challenges and for public remarks shaped by military service, defense policy, and the responsibilities of command.