Overview
- Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, nominated to lead U.S. Southern Command, declined to discuss recent operations near Venezuela, saying his current SOCOM role is not connected to SOUTHCOM planning.
- Pressed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, he said he would not call questioning an order's legality "sedition," emphasized reliance on legal advisors, and pledged he will never carry out illegal orders.
- Donovan said sustaining the new posture requires rapid growth in headquarters staffing, logistics, and infrastructure, noting deployments swelled to roughly 15,000 troops versus a typical force of about 1,200 and prompted the reopening of Puerto Rico’s Roosevelt Roads.
- Questioned on countering China and Russia in Latin America, he declined to back a military‑first approach and said the U.S. should lean on soft power complemented by force when required.
- The hearing unfolded as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to censure and demote Sen. Mark Kelly over a video urging refusal of illegal orders, President Trump labeled the lawmakers "seditious," and reports indicated DOJ inquiries, while senators signaled Donovan’s and the NSA/CYBERCOM nominations are likely to advance.