Trump nominates Schiess as next Space Force chief

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess for promotion to four-star general and selected him to become the next chief of space operations, positioning a career operator to lead the U.S. military’s youngest service as it shifts toward more contested space missions.

The White House submitted the nomination to the Senate on April 30, where it will be reviewed by the Senate Armed Services Committee. If confirmed, Schiess would succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who has led the Space Force since September 2022. The chief of space operations serves on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Schiess currently serves as the Space Force’s deputy chief of operations at the Pentagon. His nomination signals continuity in the service’s emphasis on operational readiness and integration with joint forces, as the Pentagon looks to strengthen space capabilities in the face of growing threats from China and Russia.

“The Space Force has made tremendous progress in a short time, and our mission has never been more important,” Schiess said in a statement. “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.”

Commissioned through ROTC in 1992, Schiess began his career in the Air Force as a missile officer before moving into space operations. His assignments have spanned intercontinental ballistic missile units, space launch, GPS and satellite communications.

He has held several command posts central to U.S. military space activities, including the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral and the 21st Space Wing, which focuses on missile warning and space control. He also led satellite operations units such as the 4th Space Operations Squadron.

Before moving to his current role, Schiess served as the first commander of U.S. Space Forces–Space, the Space Force component to United States Space Command. In that position, he oversaw day-to-day military space operations, including tracking objects in orbit, providing missile warning and supporting combatant commanders worldwide.

Support from senior leaders

His selection comes as the Space Force continues to evolve from a support-focused organization into one tasked with operating in a contested domain, where protecting satellites and ensuring access to space-based services are increasingly seen as core military missions.

“I am pleased to support the nomination of Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess to be our next Chief of Space Operations,” said Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. “He brings the operational experience, strategic mindset and leadership we need to continue that momentum and ensure space capabilities remain a decisive advantage for our nation. I’d also like to thank Gen. Saltzman for his leadership during his tenure as CSO. He has led the Space Force through a period of remarkable growth and transformation, positioning the service to win despite an increasingly contested domain.”

Saltzman also expressed support for Schiess’ nomination. “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.”