WASHINGTON — The admiral who leads U.S. military forces in Latin America will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday, in a surprise move amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that there had been tension between Admiral Alvin Holsey and Hegseth over operations in the Caribbean and questions about whether he would be fired in the days leading up to the announcement.
Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Holsey’s unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential U.S. confrontation with Venezuela.
“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 said in a statement.
Hegseth, in a social media post, did not disclose the reason for the departure of Holsey, who is one of two Black four-star officers leading a U.S. combatant command.
On X, Holsey said he would retire December 12 but did not give a reason. “It’s been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years,” he said.
Holsey’s departure comes against the backdrop of a military buildup in the Caribbean that includes U.S.-guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around sixty-five hundred troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.
U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela have killed at least twenty-seven people, raising alarms among some legal experts and mostly Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war. The Trump administration argues it is in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.
On Wednesday, Trump disclosed that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple President Nicolas Maduro.
Holsey is the latest in a series of flag officers to leave their positions since Hegseth took over the Pentagon. Some firings have been abrupt, including those of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, C.Q. Brown, who was Black, and the top naval officer, Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman to hold the position.
“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,” Hegseth said on X.
Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, but by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
That decision came as a surprise to U.S. military watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.
The reorganization of Caribbean operations away from Southern Command raised questions about Holsey’s authority and the military’s chain of command in the region. The move effectively sidelined the traditional geographic combatant command structure in favor of a deployable expeditionary force.
U.S. Southern Command is responsible for military operations and security cooperation in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The command has historically played a key role in counter-narcotics operations, disaster relief and security partnerships with Latin American militaries.
Holsey assumed command of U.S. Southern Command in a ceremony that typically comes with an expected tenure of three to four years. His early departure leaves uncertainty about succession planning at a critical moment for U.S. military operations in the region.
The admiral’s resignation adds to broader concerns about military leadership stability under the Trump administration. Critics have questioned whether political considerations are influencing personnel decisions at the highest levels of military command.
The timing of Holsey’s departure, combined with the restructuring of counter-narcotics operations and escalating military activity near Venezuela, has prompted questions from lawmakers about strategic planning and civilian-military relations.
Defense Department officials have not announced a successor for the Southern Command position or clarified how the leadership transition will affect ongoing operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The departure of multiple senior military leaders in recent months has raised concerns among some former defense officials and members of Congress about continuity in military planning and the preservation of institutional knowledge at combatant commands.
