US Admiral Retires
The top U.S. military commander responsible for Latin America and the Caribbean is stepping aside earlier than planned, marking another leadership change at the Pentagon as the Trump administration sharpens its focus on regional security and drug enforcement.
Adm. Alvin Holsey, a Navy officer with more than three decades of service, is retiring Friday after less than a year as head of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). His departure comes roughly two years ahead of schedule and follows reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked him to step down.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan L. Pettus is set to take over as acting head of SOUTHCOM, the command responsible for U.S. military operations throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Leadership Transition Amid Growing Regional Pressure
The formal change of command ceremony took place Friday at SOUTHCOM headquarters in Doral, Florida. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine presided over the event and praised Holsey’s leadership and service.
In a statement issued ahead of the ceremony, SOUTHCOM highlighted what it described as major operational progress during Holsey’s tenure. The command said U.S. force levels and operational capacity in the region increased significantly.
According to the release, SOUTHCOM expanded from approximately 3,500 personnel to nearly 15,000 personnel supporting operations aimed at countering drug trafficking, organized crime, and hostile foreign influence.
Military officials said the expanded presence improved response times and strengthened deterrence across the region.
Reported Policy Disagreements and Strategic Tensions
Holsey’s early retirement was announced in mid-October, less than one year after he formally assumed command on Nov. 7, 2024.
Multiple reports indicate Holsey raised internal concerns about the legal framework governing U.S. military actions targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels operating in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Since early September, the U.S. military has conducted more than 20 operations as part of an expanded campaign to disrupt narcotics trafficking routes. Defense officials say those missions targeted individuals identified as members of transnational criminal organizations.
Panama Canal Planning Cited as Additional Friction
According to The Wall Street Journal, Defense Secretary Hegseth was also dissatisfied with the pace at which Holsey developed contingency plans related to the Panama Canal.
President Trump has repeatedly emphasized the strategic importance of the canal and has warned that the United States must maintain full and uninterrupted access amid growing geopolitical competition in the Western Hemisphere.
Earlier this week, Holsey reportedly met in a classified briefing with Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking Democrat Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Part of a Broader Pentagon Realignment
Holsey’s shortened tenure is not unprecedented. Navy Adm. William Fallon, a former commander of U.S. Central Command, also left his post early during the George W. Bush administration following public disagreements over policy direction.
Holsey now joins a growing list of senior military leaders who have departed since Hegseth assumed leadership at the Defense Department.
Earlier this year, former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman C.Q. Brown were removed from their positions without public explanation.
Aligning Military Leadership With National Security Priorities
The leadership changes reflect the Trump administration’s broader effort to align military command with its national security priorities, particularly in areas involving border security, drug interdiction, and countering hostile regimes in the Western Hemisphere.
Defense officials have signaled that operational speed, clear chain-of-command execution, and strategic alignment will remain top priorities moving forward.
