Donald Trump Announces Key Military Appointments

President Donald Trump announced key military appointments in multiple military services, including the Army, Air Force and the Space Force.

The routine appointments and promotions make personnel changes in the departments and will reshape how they operate as the U.S. war with Iran continues. Trump announced the military appointments via the Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth, who published them in a series of releases on the DOD website.

Trump has made defense a big priority under his second administration. Under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the U.S. military aims to increase total active-duty armed forces to over 1.3 million personnel—the highest target since 2023—with the Army growing to 454,000 soldiers, and the Navy expanding to 334,600 sailors.

Combined authorizations for the Air Force and Space Force will add over 2,100 personnel to support this overall expansion.

Trump’s Appointments

The following officer appointments were announced Aug. 3:

• Trump appointed Army Lt. Gen Edmond M. Brown to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, Austin, Texas. He is currently serving as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Futures Command, Austin, Texas.
• He appointed another lieutenant general, Army Lt. Gen. Francisco J. Lozano, with an assignment as portfolio acquisition executive fires/director, Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Lozano is currently serving as director, Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
• Trump appointed Air Force Retired Maj. Gen. Charles S. Corcoran as a third lieutenant general, with assignment as commander and president, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. Corcoran previously served as assistant deputy chief of staff, Headquarters Air Force Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
• He tapped Space Force Maj. Gen Robert J. Hutt, who is currently serving as senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of War, Office of the Secretary of War, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon.
• Army Maj. Gen. Christopher R. Norrie has also been appointed to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, III Corps and Fort Hood, Fort Hood, Texas. Norrie is currently serving as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Europe-Africa, Germany.
• Space Force Maj. Gen. Christopher S. Povak makes up the fifth lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy chief of space operations for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Space Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Povak is currently serving as deputy director, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
• John D. Saccomando, who is currently serving as commander, Naval Air Force Reserve, San Diego, California, has become a rear admiral, with assignment as chief of Navy Reserve, N095, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations/commander, Navy Reserve Forces, Pentagon.

The appointments come amid the continuing conflict in Iran.

Trump said new talks to wind down the war in Iran would start Monday. He then said he was pausing new strikes he had threatened on the country.

“Now what we’re doing is we’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” he said on Sunday. He did not provide further details or say who would be involved in the talks.