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.”