President Trump appoints new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The current US Joint Chiefs of Staff were largely appointed under President Barack Obama and are in the process of transitioning.
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| Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford (center, right) and his South Korean counterpart Park Han-ki (center, left) at a welcoming ceremony at the Pentagon, Washington DC, US on October 25. (Source: Yonhap/VNA) |
“I would suggest that the announcement will be about the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their replacements,” Mr. Trump said.
The announcement is expected to be made by President Trump during the US Army-Navy College Football Playoff in Philadelphia on December 8.
General Joseph Dunford was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2015 by President Barack Obama and was reappointed by President Trump for a two-year term in 2018. If not renewed, General Dunford's second term will end in the summer of 2019.
Some observers believe that President Trump has recently been impressed by the performance of Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley in recent meetings and predict that General Milley may be considered to replace General Dunford.
However, some other opinions say that Trump's December 8 announcement may only mention replacing Air Force General Paul Selva, who has held the position of Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff for the past four years.
General Selva intends to retire early and a replacement needs to be appointed to maintain continuity in command of US forces.
Under the traditional nomination process, Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein would be the leading candidate to replace Selva. However, President Trump prefers to make dramatic, unexpected decisions and may choose his favorite, General John Hyten, commander of the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
General Hyten has recently made several statements expressing strong reactions to Russia and China's military buildup.
The Council has a Chairman, a Vice Chairman and five Chiefs of Staff positions in charge of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and National Guard. The Council is tasked with advising the US President on military strategy./.
