MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Trump picks Special Ops Veteran for Southcom Chief post

If confirmed by the Senate, Donovan will oversee a massive regional deployment

US President Donald Trump has nominated Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis “Frank” L. Donovan to head the US Southern Command (Southcom), the Pentagon confirmed Friday.

The appointment comes at a critical juncture for US policy in Latin America, as the administration intensifies military pressure on the Venezuelan government and regional drug cartels.

Donovan, who currently serves as the vice commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), is set to replace Admiral Alvin Holsey, whose departure marks an abrupt end to a tenure that was scheduled to last another two years.

While Holsey officially characterized his retirement as a personal decision, reports suggest friction with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Sources indicate that Hegseth sought a more “firm” and “operationally aggressive” leadership style at the helm of the command responsible for Central and South America.

Lieutenant General Donovan brings an extensive tactical and strategic background to the role, having served in various key posts while also holding a degree in geography and advanced degrees in Military and Strategic Studies, alongside executive training from Harvard Business School.

The nomination coincides with a significant escalation of US military activity in the Caribbean. Under President Trump's recent designation of several cartels as terrorist organizations, the US has asserted it is in an “armed conflict” with these groups.

Since September 2025, the US military has conducted nearly 30 strikes on vessels suspected of drug smuggling, resulting in at least 104 deaths. President Trump heightened the rhetoric on Friday, stating he “does not rule out” the possibility of war with Venezuela. The administration further claims that congressional approval is unnecessary for a ground attack on Venezuelan territory, citing the need to act against “narcoterrorist” threats.

If confirmed by the Senate, Donovan will oversee a massive regional deployment.