Trump Expected to Replace Indo-Pacific Commander Ahead of Term End

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing Department of Defense officials, U.S. President Donald Trump, whose term is coming to an end, will soon appoint Admiral John Aquilino, the current commander of the Pacific Fleet, as the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command.

According to WSJ, President Trump has selected Admiral Aquilino as the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command and plans to soon send a confirmation request to the Senate. The Indo-Pacific Command, to which the United States Forces Korea belong, is a key command that executes U.S. military strategy in Asia, including strategies against China. Ambassador Harry Harris served as the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command from 2015 to 2018 before his appointment as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

Following Ambassador Harris, Admiral Philip Davis, who currently leads the Indo-Pacific Command, is expected to retire after completing this mission. WSJ, citing Department of Defense officials, also reported that General Robert Abrams, the current commander of the United States Forces Korea, is among the candidates for the next Indo-Pacific Command commander, in addition to Admiral Aquilino.

There are also views that the selection of the Indo-Pacific Command commander is somewhat different from President Trump exercising his personnel authority arbitrarily just before the end of his term. WSJ evaluated that this selection appears to be strongly aligned with the scheduled rotation of the military field leadership.