Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan was confirmed by the Senate as the next leader of U.S. Southern Command, assuming the four-star post as the Trump administration seeks to reassert American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
Donovan was approved by voice vote Friday.
His 37-year career spans infantry, reconnaissance and special operations, during which he has led Marines and sailors in all three Marine Expeditionary Forces, the military said. Until recently, he served as the vice commander of SOUTHCOM.
The previous commander, Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, relinquished duties Dec. 12, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote in a post on X. Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan Pettus served as acting commander of SOUTHCOM after his departure.
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During Donovan’s confirmation hearing in January, Donovan pledged “to protect America’s vital national interests, deter war, and if necessary, win them quickly and decisively.”
Donovan is set to lead the Pentagon’s maritime operations in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific. Since early September, President Donald Trump has authorized more than three dozen strikes targeting vessels that are allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The attacks have killed at least 116 people, according to data compiled by Military Times.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a critic of the president for not providing lawmakers with the legal basis for bombing the vessels, pressed Donovan on how he would react to “concerns about illegal orders.”
“Is it sedition for someone in the military to question whether an order is illegal?” Warren asked.
Donovan replied, “I’ve received many orders over time, and when I ever have faced a situation where I need to seek clarity, I ask our headquarters to clarify the task.”
He said that he would later present his thoughts to higher headquarters “for their consideration.”
The White House maintains that the strikes are consistent with the law of armed conflict.
The confirmation takes place amid a broader shift in the Pentagon’s strategy. The 2026 National Defense Strategy, released last month, outlined a renewed emphasis on American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Trump has branded this approach the “Donroe Doctrine,” a revival of the 19th-century edict that warns Europe against encroachment in the Western Hemisphere.
“We will guarantee U.S. military and commercial access to key terrain, especially the Panama Canal, Gulf of America, and Greenland,” the blueprint said, adding, “We will provide President Trump with credible military options to use against narco-terrorists wherever they may be.”
Donovan comes from a family steeped in military service. His wife is a former Navy officer, and their children are active-duty Marines.
Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.