Hegseth announces, without explanation, that Southcom commander Adm. Holsey is retiring
Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, is retiring after only about a year at the helm of the combatant command, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday in a social media post.
No explanation was given for Holsey’s retirement.
“On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at year’s end. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest standards of naval leadership since his commissioning through the NROTC program at Morehouse College in 1988,” Hegseth said in a statement posted on X.
“Throughout his career—from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security Construct—Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation. His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision,” Hegseth added. “The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead.”
Holsey became leader of Southcom in November 2024. He was nominated for the position by President Joe Biden.
Southcom is responsible for overseeing U.S. military operations in most of Latin America and the Caribbean. In recent weeks, the command has played a key role in the Trump administration’s expanded military activities in the region, including strikes against alleged narco-traffickers.
“It’s been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years. Effective, 12 December 2025 I will retire from the U.S. Navy. Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor. The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe. Stephanie and I extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to have served alongside our nation’s finest warfighters,” Holsey said in a statement posted on social media shortly after Hegseth’s post. “Keep Charging!!”
An official at Southcom told DefenseScoop on Thursday afternoon that they had no additional information on the matter to provide at this time.
A Pentagon spokesperson told DefenseScoop that they had “nothing to provide beyond the Secretary’s post,” also pointing to Holsey’s statement about his retirement.
During an unusual gathering of hundreds of generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico last month, Hegseth noted that he had already removed a number of high-ranking military leaders, and suggested that more people would be pushed out.
“I have fired a number of senior officers since taking over — the previous chairman, other members of the Joint Chiefs, combatant commanders and other commanders,” Hegseth said, adding that it’s “nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create or even benefited from that culture.”
The Trump administration previously fired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, U.S. Cyber Command commander Gen. Timothy Haugh, and Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, among others. Additionally, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin was reportedly asked to retire much earlier than expected.
“More leadership changes will be made — of that, I’m certain. Not because we want to, but because we must. Once again, this is life and death. The sooner we have the right people, the sooner we can advance the right policies. Personnel is policy,” Hegseth said during his Quantico speech last month.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement after the announcement about Holsey.
“Admiral Holsey has served our nation with distinction for nearly four decades, and I thank him for his dedication. The American people are safer and our country is stronger because of his service,” Reed said. “However, this unexpected resignation is troubling. At a moment when U.S. forces are building up across the Caribbean and tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point, the departure of our top military commander in the region sends an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command.
“Any operation to intervene militarily in Venezuela – especially without congressional authorization – would be unwise and dangerous. Admiral Holsey’s resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters,” Reed added.
Brandi Vincent contributed reporting for this story.
