Strategic Shift: Trump Nominates New Southern Command Leader Amid Rising Tensions

President Donald Trump nominates Lt. Gen. Frank Donovan to lead U.S. Southern Command, focusing on Latin American operations. This move follows Admiral Alvin Holsey's early retirement. With rising tensions in Venezuela, the Pentagon emphasizes covert operations, reinforced by Donovan's special operations background, within Trump's renewed Monroe Doctrine strategy.

President Donald Trump has nominated Lieutenant General Frank Donovan to helm the U.S. Southern Command, a key strategic move as tensions rise in Latin America. The decision comes on the heels of Admiral Alvin Holsey's retirement, a surprise development attributed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's reported dissatisfaction with Holsey's leadership.

The Southern Command oversees U.S. military operations in Latin America, where recent developments in Venezuela, including the seizure of an oil tanker and targeted strikes on drug-smuggling vessels, have heightened tensions. Trump's selection of Donovan, a veteran of special operations, signals a potential shift towards increased covert activities in the region.

Amid these developments, the Trump administration continues to underline its foreign policy stance with its National Security Strategy, promoting the revival of the Monroe Doctrine to assert U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere and counteract China's ambitions in resource access. Senator Marco Rubio reiterated the administration's goal of ensuring regional stability, dismissing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's legitimacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)