President Donald Trump nominated a three -star Marina Admiral who played a key role in the United States bombing campaign against Hutis to lead the United States Central Command, a higher position in charge of US military operations in 21 countries in the Middle East and Africa of the North.
If the Senate confirms it, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper will receive a fourth star and replace General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, who is expected to retire this summer.
Trump has also nominated the Lieutenant General of the Dagvin RM Anderson Air Force to direct the United States Africa Command. He is currently serving in the chiefs of the Joint General Staff and would replace General Michael Langley.
The Vice Admiral Brad Cooper Commander of the Central Command of the US Naval Forces. UU. He speaks during a press conference against USS Port Royal (CG 73) Cruiser Guided-Misil in the port of Al-Shuaiba, 35 km south of the city of Kuwait, on June 6, 2022.
Yasser al-Zayyat/AFP through Getty Images, file
Cooper, a 1989 graduate from the US Naval Academy, directed Naval Forces for Centcom as head of the 5th American fleet, and pushed the first efforts to display artificial intelligence, armed drones and vessels without a glass in the region. He was used to serve as a deputy of Kurilla in February 2024.
In both roles, Cooper helped supervise the strikes against the hutis militants in Yemen, a 16 -month military campaign that Trump abandoned this spring after the operation showed only a modest impact on the capacity of the group backed by Iran.
According to Centcom, Cooper led 100 strikes in parts of Yemen controlled by Houthi while he was a 5th fleet commander, destroying the capabilities of drones and missiles of the group that the hutis used to harass commercial ships in the Red Sea.
He also helped lead strength in the construction of a humanitarian dock off the coast of Gaza ordered by President Joe Biden who was plagued by setbacks.
Centom’s area of ​​responsibility is a key approach to Trump, who promised in the campaign that “stability in the Middle East” and “would return the world to peace.”
The Vicemenal of the US Navy.
Jon Gumbrell/AP, file
However, that goal has proven to be elusive as the war in Gaza crawls during its second year and Iranian officials dismiss the speculation that a nuclear agreement with the United States is imminent.
Last week, Trump said he believes that a high fire is near Gaza and that there is still a possibility that the United States can find common land with Iran.
“They don’t want to be fly,” he said.
Kurilla, who took over Centcom in 2022, directed US military operations to defend Israel against Iran’s attacks. That effort was widely seen as successful.
