Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense by President Hosni Mubarak in 1991. He held this position for over two decades, overseeing the military's modernization and its role in maintaining domestic stability. He became a key figure in the Mubarak regime.

Following the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011, Tantawi, as head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), assumed de facto control of Egypt. The SCAF governed the country during the transitional period, overseeing parliamentary and presidential elections until June 2012.

On August 12, 2012, newly elected President Mohamed Morsi forced Tantawi into retirement, along with other senior military leaders. Morsi appointed a new defense minister and revoked the SCAF's constitutional powers. This move was seen as a power struggle between the Muslim Brotherhood and the military establishment.