Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, speaks with a Naval special warfare operator and a Navy diver in San Diego, Feb. 11, 2025. President Donald Trump nominated Donovan to lead the U.S. Southern Command, the Pentagon announced on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (David Rowe/U.S. Navy)
WASHINGTON — Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank Donovan has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Southern Command, the Pentagon announced Friday.
Donovan has served as the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command since September 2022.
He replaces Adm. Alvin Holsey, who retired this month with two years left in his tenure.
The change comes amid rising tensions with Venezuela from seizing an oil tanker and more than 20 strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats.
The U.S. has conducted at least 28 strikes since Sept. 2 and killed at least 104 people.
Holsey announced his retirement in October. In a closed-door meeting with senior lawmakers on Tuesday, Holsey insisted his decision was personal and had nothing to do with the operations in his command, according to comments by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, published in Politico.
In his farewell remarks, Holsey did not address operations or reasons for his retirement. He did urge his successor to uphold longstanding partnerships in the region by standing firmly behind the shared values of democracy and support for the rule of law.
“I concluded my final commanders conference yesterday, and I was clear with my team to be a trusted partner. We must be credible, present and engaged,” Holsey said.
Reuters reported that Holsey was pushed out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the secretary had grown frustrated with SOUTHCOM as he sought to flex U.S. military operations and planning in the region.
Spokespeople for Hegseth previously have denied that there was tension between Holsey and Hegseth.
The House on Wednesday rejected two measures aimed at stopping President Donald Trump from carrying out additional strikes on suspected drug boats or attacking Venezuela without congressional approval.
Democrats continue to push for the public release of unedited videos showing the initial Sept. 2 strike and a controversial follow-up strike that killed two survivors. The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, however, said this week they are satisfied with the Pentagon’s explanation for the strike and will not pursue further congressional oversight of the episode.
Trump this year designated several drug cartels as terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua. His administration has asserted that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with cartels and will treat their members as combatants.
