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10h ago

SOUTHCOM Chief Adm. Alvin Holsey to Retire in December After One Year in Command

Unnamed officials say he questioned the boat-strike campaign during a U.S. buildup near Venezuela.

U.S. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), hosts the South American Defense Conference (SOUTHDEC), in Buenos Aires, Argentina August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Martin Cossarini
The head of the US Southern Command, Admiral Alvin Holsey, speaks after being decorated with the Order of Merit of the Military Forces Command 'Gral. Div. Bernardino Caballero' in the rank of Grand Cross at the Government Palace in Asuncion, on August 23, 2025. (Photo by DANIEL DUARTE / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL DUARTE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the move on X, and Holsey separately confirmed he will retire from the Navy on December 12, 2025.
  • Holsey’s tenure at U.S. Southern Command began in November 2024, far short of the three-year norm for the post.
  • No official reason was given, though Reuters and the New York Times reported tension with Hegseth and that Holsey raised concerns about recent attacks on alleged drug boats.
  • U.S. forces have carried out at least five strikes on suspected smuggling vessels in the Caribbean, with reports of 27 killed and legal experts questioning the campaign.
  • The departure comes as Washington expands operations near Venezuela, including added naval and air assets, CIA activity authorized by the president, and B-52 flights off the Venezuelan coast.