Reed Statement on SOUTHCOM Commander Admiral Holsey Resignation
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the resignation of Admiral Alvin Holsey, the Commander of U.S. SOUTHCOM, less than one year into his three-year post, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:
“Admiral Holsey has served our nation with distinction for nearly four decades, and I thank him for his dedication. The American people are safer and our country is stronger because of his service.
“However, this unexpected resignation is troubling. At a moment when U.S. forces are building up across the Caribbean and tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point, the departure of our top military commander in the region sends an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command.
“Any operation to intervene militarily in Venezuela – especially without congressional authorization – would be unwise and dangerous. Admiral Holsey’s resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters.”