President Donald Trump has nominated Vice Adm. Brad Cooper as the next commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), making him only the second Navy admiral to be selected for the role, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.
Trump also put forward Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson to lead U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), which would make him the first Air Force officer to head the command since its formation in 2007, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Currently serving as deputy commander of CENTCOM, Cooper brings extensive experience in the region. He previously led the Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain for nearly three years before becoming CENTCOM’s second-in-command in February 2024. He would replace Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, who is set to retire after more than three years at the helm.
CENTCOM oversees military operations in 21 countries across Central and South Asia and Northeast Africa. The command plays a critical role as the region remains volatile due to conflicts such as the ongoing war in Gaza and ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Historically, the position has been held primarily by Army and Marine generals. Notably, former Army Gen. Lloyd Austin and former Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, both past CENTCOM commanders, later served as defense secretaries. The only previous Navy officer in the role, Adm. William Fallon, served briefly before resigning amid speculation about his stance on U.S. policy toward Iran.
Cooper, a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and son of a career Army officer, has served on a range of vessels including cruisers, destroyers, carriers, and amphibious ships. He previously commanded a destroyer and a cruiser. During his tenure with the 5th Fleet, he launched the Navy’s first task force focused on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, oversaw naval operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen, and led U.S. efforts in Operation Prosperity Guardian, a coalition aimed at stopping Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Cooper has also led U.S. Naval Forces Korea and commanded Naval Surface Force Atlantic. He holds a master’s degree in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University.
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Anderson, Trump’s nominee for AFRICOM, is an experienced pilot with over 3,400 flight hours, including 738 in combat. He has flown aircraft such as the KC-135 tanker, C-130 transport, and U-28A surveillance plane, frequently used in special operations. Anderson currently serves as director of joint force development on the Joint Staff.
His leadership background includes commanding special operations and expeditionary squadrons, as well as a special operations wing and task forces. He led Special Operations Command Africa from 2019 to 2021 and was responsible for coordinating the U.S. troop repositioning from Somalia. If confirmed, he will become the seventh leader of AFRICOM, following four Army generals and two Marines. Anderson hails from Ypsilanti, Michigan, and is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis via the ROTC program.
AFRICOM, the Pentagon’s newest geographic command, is focused on combating extremist threats and supporting local military training efforts across much of the African continent.