Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess nominated as next chief of space operations

President Donald Trump has tapped Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess to be the third person to lead the Space Force as chief of space operations, the service announced Friday.

Schiess currently serves as the Space Force’s deputy chief of operations — a position he has held since November. If confirmed by the Senate, he would receive his fourth star and succeed CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman as the Space Force’s highest-ranking officer.

“The Space Force has made tremendous progress in a short time, and our mission has never been more important,” Schiess said in a statement. “I’m humbled by the President’s nomination. If confirmed, I will focus on sharpening our lethality and accelerating the delivery of space capabilities to the warfighter, keeping the Space Force ahead against any adversary.”

Prior to his current appointment, Schiess held leadership positions overseeing daily operations and mission planning. From 2023 to 2025, he was commander of Space Forces-Space — the service’s primary operational component to U.S. Space Command. Prior to that, he led Spacecom’s Combined Joint Force Space Component Command.

If confirmed, Schiess would step into the CSO role during a time of significant change within the Space Force. As the service plays critical roles in ongoing conflicts, it has also been taking on more mission areas — such as those required by the Golden Dome missile defense program. 

Furthermore, Schiess is expected to oversee a much larger organization than his predecessors. The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request is the largest in the service’s history — and if approved by lawmakers, would allow the Space Force to increase its number of guardians and capabilities.

The service’s growth has been led by Saltzman, who will be completing his four-year term as chief of space operations this year. During his tenure, Saltzman was a champion for a number of efforts to enhance the Space Force, including doctrine on warfighting in space and strategies for integrating commercial and international partners into its missions.

“Leading the Space Force has been the privilege of a lifetime for Jennifer and me,” Saltzman said in a statement, referring to this wife. “Doug is the right leader at the right time. He understands the mission, he understands the stakes, and he will continue to push the Space Force to deliver the capabilities the Joint Force and the American people rely on.”