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Trump nominates Gen. Wilsbach to be next Air Force chief of staff

The nomination was submitted to the Senate on Monday.

September 30, 2025

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U.S. Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, speaks after being presented the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by Japanese Ambassador to the United States Shigeo Yamada, during a ceremony at Yamada’s residence in Washington, D.C., Oct. 21, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)

President Donald Trump has tapped Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach to be the next chief of staff of the Air Force and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The nomination was submitted to the Senate on Monday and referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee for consideration, according to a notice posted on Congress.gov.

Wilsbach recently served as commander of Air Combat Command, where he was responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready air, cyberspace, and electromagnetic spectrum forces. Prior to that, he was commander of Pacific Air Forces.

If his nomination is confirmed by the Senate, Wilsbach will succeed Gen. David Allvin, who unexpectedly announced last month his plans to retire in November — only two years after he became Air Force chief. Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff typically serve four-year terms. Allvin was reportedly asked to step down by Pentagon leadership.

The nomination of Wilsbach comes as the Air Force is undergoing wide-ranging modernization initiatives, including next-generation drones known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the F-47 stealth fighter, B-21 stealth bomber and digital transformation, among others.