Alvin Holsey is leaving his post two years early, raising concern amid fears of a potential US-Venezuela confrontation
The admiral who leads US military forces in Latin America will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday, in a surprise move amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.
A source familiar with the matter said 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.
The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential US confrontation with Venezuela.
"Admiral Holsey's resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous US 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 US combatant command.
On social media, Holsey said he would retire on December 12, but did not give a reason.