Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey will depart from his position in December, ending his tenure two years ahead of schedule.
The announcement marks another significant departure from the War Department under Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Holsey currently serves as a military commander and previously held the position of deputy commander from 2023 to 2024.
His total service in these roles spans 34 months.
“Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor,” Holsey stated in his announcement.
The admiral’s departure adds to a growing list of high-level military officials who have left their positions in recent months.
This pattern has drawn attention from lawmakers and observers who track Pentagon personnel changes.
Holsey has been responsible for overseeing operations targeting narcoterrorists in the Caribbean region.
Sources indicate that disagreements had emerged between the admiral and Hegseth regarding these operations.
The timing of Holsey’s announcement follows a Thursday military strike against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean.
Three crew members appeared to survive the operation.
Search and rescue assets were deployed by the US military, though confirmation of any successful rescues remained unclear according to Fox News.
This latest strike adds to a series of similar operations in the region.
Previous US military strikes against suspected drug vessels near Venezuela have resulted in at least 27 deaths.
These operations have prompted questions from legal experts and Democratic lawmakers about compliance with international laws of war.
The Trump administration maintains that the United States is engaged in conflict with narcoterrorist groups operating from Venezuela, justifying the strikes as legitimate military action.
Sources reported that Holsey had raised concerns about the increasing frequency of attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
One source indicated the admiral questioned whether he faced potential termination as part of broader personnel changes at the Pentagon, per the Daily Mail.
The outlet further highlighted that the department has experienced numerous high-level dismissals in recent months.
Former Defense Intelligence Agency head Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse was terminated in August, alongside Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, who oversaw Naval Special Warfare Command.
Navy chief of staff Jon Harrison was dismissed earlier this month.
Harrison had been assisting with a major reorganization of Pentagon bureaucracy.
General Charles Q. Brown Jr., who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from May 2023 to February 2025, represents perhaps the most prominent removal.
The administration has also revoked security clearances from multiple current and former national security officials.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed concern about the resignation.
“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,” Reed said, according to Daily Mail reporting.
Holsey assumed leadership of U.S. Southern Command in November.
The command oversees military activities in the Caribbean Sea and waters surrounding South America.
Such command positions typically extend between three and four years.
Holsey’s departure after less than one year represents an unusually brief tenure for this type of assignment.
In a social media statement, Holsey reflected on his military career spanning 37 years. “The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,” he wrote.
“I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe,” he added.
