The top U.S. commander in Central and South America is stepping down years ahead of schedule, officials said Thursday—an abrupt shake-up as President Donald Trump ramps up his campaign against drug cartels in the region.

Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, the head of U.S. Southern Command, will retire on Dec. 12, nearly two years earlier than planned and less than a year into what is typically a three-year assignment. Holsey oversaw U.S. operations across Central and South America—right as Trump escalated his crackdown on what he calls “narcoterrorists.”

His early departure is the latest in a string of exits under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and it comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the administration’s strategy in the region.

Neither Hegseth nor Holsey offered an explanation. In a s

See Full Page