Trump nominates Special Operations Deputy Commander to head Southern Command

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced on the 19th that President Trump has nominated U.S. Special Operations Command Deputy Commander Francis Donovan to serve as the Commander of Southern Command, responsible for U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. This nomination is subject to review and vote by the U.S. Senate. This personnel change comes as the Trump administration strengthens military deployments in the Caribbean region and conducts so-called "anti-drug" operations, posing military threats to Venezuela. Trump recently stated that he does not rule out the possibility of going to war with Venezuela. The former Commander of Southern Command, Alvin H. Halsey, suddenly announced in October that he would step down in December. He has held this position for only about a year, leaving two years earlier than the normal term. Halsey did not publicly explain the reasons for his early departure. (Xinhua News Agency)