Trump Picks Schiess as Next Space Force Chief

Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess has been nominated by President Donald Trump to become the next Chief of Space Operations, the top uniformed leader in the U.S. Space Force.

The decision was published in a congressional notice posted April 30. If confirmed by the Senate, Schiess would become the third Chief of Space Operations and succeed Gen. B. Chance Saltzman in the job later this year. Saltzman took charge of the Space Force in September 2022, just three years after the service was created. Service chiefs are appointed to four-year terms but serve “at the pleasure of the president,” meaning their time in the role can sometimes be longer or shorter.

Schiess is currently deputy CSO for operations, or the S3, and has been on the shortlist for promotion for the past year or so. If confirmed, Schiess would spearhead the service’s ambitious plan to double in size in the coming years. And he would take on the leadership role amid increasing demand for on-orbit capabilities, as evidenced in several recent operations, including Epic Fury in Iran where space forces laid the foundation for early strikes.

“The Space Force has made tremendous progress in a short time, and our mission has never been more important,” Schiess said in a Space Force statement released shortly after the nomination was posted. “I’m humbled by the President’s nomination. If confirmed, I will focus on sharpening our lethality and accelerating the delivery of space capabilities to the warfighter, keeping the Space Force ahead against any adversary. My wife Debbie and I also look forward to serving all Guardians and their families if given the opportunity.”

A career space operator, Schiess previously served as the first commander of U.S. Space Forces–Space, the Space Force’s component and primary liaison to U.S. Space Command. SPACECOM is one of the military’s geographic combatant commands, akin to U.S. European Command or U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as the operational commander in that theater of operations.

Saltzman, during his tenure, has paved the way for significant near-term growth within the Space Force while also helping craft an enduring process for articulating the service’s future needs and the threats it expects to face. In a statement, Saltzman said that as the service embarks on its next phase, Schiess is the right pick to take the reins.

“Leading the Space Force has been the privilege of a lifetime for Jennifer and me,” Saltzman said in a statement. “Doug is the right leader at the right time. He understands the mission, he understands the stakes, and he will continue to push the Space Force to deliver the capabilities the Joint Force and the American people rely on.”