The admiral in charge of recent U.S. strikes against alleged Venezuelan “drug boats” has abruptly announced his plans to retire. The move comes amid reported disagreements with the White House over the controversial killings.

The sudden retirement is another departure of a high-ranking Black military officer since President Donald Trump returned to office, adding to concerns about the administration’s expansive and legally questionable use of military power.

Controversial military strikes and high-profile departures of minority military leaders

Admiral Alvin Holsey is stepping down as head of U.S. Southern Command, which oversees all U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command has overseen the series of airstrikes launched by U.S. forces against accused drug smugglers off the coast of Venezuela; American troops have conducted at least five such strikes over the past several weeks, killing 27 people. The strikes have been touted by Trump, who has accused the targets of being “narcoterrorists” but without offering public proof that the targeted vessels were involved in drug smuggling. The New York Times reported that the admiral’s retirement announcement followed his concerns about the strikes. Though the attacks have been carried out under U.S. Southern Command, the White House has been the main decision-making force behind them, with Holsey largely sidelined from the process. Experts have questioned the legal authority of the Trump administration to carry out these attacks against foreign nationals in international waters, and two sources indicated that Holsey expressed concerns about the attacks and the overall counterterrorism mission being conducted in the region.

Holsey’s departure is unusual, coming less than a year after he was promoted to head of the Southern Command, typically a three-year appointment.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said, “Prior to Trump, I can’t think of a combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever.”

Holsey’s retirement is also the latest in a trend of Black or women officers leaving top military posts under Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a vocal opponent of diversity initiatives within the military. Hegseth has fired General Charles Q. Brown, the second Black person to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Admiral Lisa Franchetti, as chief of naval operations; and Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, as the U.S. military representative to NATO. General David Allvin, the Air Force’s chief of staff, recently announced his early retirement as well.

Trump’s expanded use of the military

Hegseth didn’t indicate any tension with Holsey, and he celebrated the admiral’s career and thanked him for his service in a social media post.

On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at year's end. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest…— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 16, 2025

The admiral likewise didn’t state a reason for ending his 37-year military career in a statement posted by the Southern Command. Holsey praised the Southern Command for its “lasting contributions to the defense of our nation” and expressed confidence that his colleagues will continue to focus on the work that “strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon on freedom around the globe.”

Message from #SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Alvin Holsey. pic.twitter.com/k0TdV49O0z— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) October 16, 2025

His departure comes as the Trump administration steps up operations targeting Venezuela, with the president also authorizing covert CIA operations in the country and exploring land strikes against the South American nation as well. Trump has long opposed President Nicolás Maduro, a member of the country’s United Socialist Party. The U.S. president’s campaign against Maduro may have received a boost from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and is now calling on Trump to take action against what she calls a “criminal narco-terrorism structure” led by Maduro. The escalating use of U.S. force against Venezuela also fits into the larger Trump agenda of using drug trafficking and other crimes, as well as accused terrorism and insurrection, to justify expanded use of the U.S. military abroad and in American cities.

Trump shows no sign of scaling back these military operations; the latest lethal strike near Venezuela was carried out earlier this week. But should these operations continue, they will soon be conducted without Holsey at the helm, and the departure of the decorated Navy official raises concerns about the administration’s use of force policies and its treatment of Black military leaders.
The post Admiral Alvin Holsey Stepping Down After Reported Disagreements With Trump’s ‘Drug Boat’ Crusade appeared first on Blavity.



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