Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has died aged 84 of Covid-19 complications, his family has announced.
He was a former top military officer who rose to become the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican George W Bush.
“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” a statement said.
“We want to thank the medical staff… for their caring treatment,” it added.
George W Bush was among the first to pay tribute to “a family man and a friend” who “was such a favourite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom – twice”.
Mr. Powell, a moderate Republican who broke with his party to endorse Barack Obama in 2008, became a trusted military adviser to a number of leading US politicians.
