Senate Confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as Next Space Force Chief
On August 6-7, 2026, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as the third Chief of Space Operations (CSO) for the U.S. Space Force, succeeding retiring Gen. Chance Saltzman. Schiess, promoted to four-star general and a Joint Chiefs of Staff member, emphasized deterrence over confrontation amid China’s rapid space advancements. He plans to double the force to 20,000 Guardians, strengthen acquisition and launch infrastructure, and manage a $71 billion budget.
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Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next U.S. Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, making him the third officer to hold the position since the service's establishment in 2019. Schiess will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who has served since November 2022 and is expected to retire later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Donald Trump nominated Schiess in May. Currently serving as deputy chief of space operations, Schiess oversees global operations, readiness, sustainment, and training. During his confirmation hearing, he emphasized deterrence over confrontation and pledged to prioritize force design, acquisition programs, launch infrastructure, testing enterprise, and the acquisition workforce to rapidly field new capabilities.
Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next U.S. Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations, making him the third officer to lead the U.S. Space Force since its establishment in 2019. Schiess will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who has served since November 2022 and is expected to retire later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general, becoming the Space Force's senior uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Donald Trump nominated Schiess in May. Schiess currently serves as deputy chief of space operations, overseeing global operations, readiness, sustainment, and training. During his confirmation hearing, he emphasized deterrence over confrontation, stating the Space Force must organize, train, and equip Guardians to defend U.S. space capabilities and protect the joint force. He also pledged to prioritize strengthening force design, acquisition programs, launch infrastructure, testing enterprise, and the acquisition workforce.
Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next U.S. Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, making him the third officer to hold the position since the service was established in 2019. Schiess, nominated by President Donald Trump in May, will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who is retiring later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently serving as deputy chief of space operations, Schiess oversees global operations, readiness, and training. During his confirmation hearing, he emphasized deterrence over confrontation, stating the Space Force must ensure no adversary believes aggression against the U.S. will succeed. He also pledged to strengthen force design, acquisition programs, launch infrastructure, and the testing enterprise to rapidly field new capabilities.
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Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next U.S. Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, making him the third officer to hold the position since the service's establishment in 2019. Schiess, nominated by President Donald Trump in May, will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who is retiring later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently serving as deputy chief of space operations, Schiess oversees global operations, readiness, and training. During his confirmation hearing, he emphasized the Space Force's role in deterrence, stating, 'Our purpose is not confrontation, but deterrence.' He also pledged to strengthen force design, expand launch infrastructure, and improve the acquisition workforce to field capabilities more rapidly.
Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next U.S. Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, making him the third officer to hold the position since the service's establishment in 2019. Schiess, nominated by President Donald Trump in May, will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who is retiring later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently serving as deputy chief of space operations, Schiess oversees global operations, readiness, and training. During his confirmation hearing, he emphasized the Space Force's role in deterrence, stating, 'Our purpose is not confrontation, but deterrence.' He also pledged to strengthen force design, expand launch infrastructure, improve testing, and enhance the acquisition workforce to field capabilities more rapidly.
Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as next Space Force chief
The U.S. Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess on August 7, 2026, as the next chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, making him the third officer to hold the position since the service's establishment in 2019. Schiess will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, who has served since November 2022 and is expected to retire later this month. Upon assuming the role, Schiess will be promoted to four-star general, becoming the Space Force's senior uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Donald Trump nominated Schiess in May. Schiess currently serves as deputy chief of space operations, overseeing global operations, readiness, sustainment, and training. During his July confirmation hearing, he emphasized deterrence over confrontation, stating the Space Force must organize, train, and equip Guardians to defend U.S. space capabilities and protect the joint force. He also pledged to prioritize strengthening force design, acquisition programs, launch infrastructure, testing enterprise, and the acquisition workforce.
Senate Confirms Douglas Schiess as Next Chief of Space Operations
The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as the next Chief of Space Operations (CSO) on August 6, making him the third leader of the Space Force since its establishment in 2019. Schiess, a career space operator who previously served as deputy CSO for operations, will receive a fourth star. He takes command at a time of significant growth, with plans to double the force from 10,000 to 20,000 Guardians over five years and a $71 billion fiscal 2027 budget request. During his confirmation hearing, Schiess highlighted China's rapid advancement in space capabilities as a key threat, emphasizing deterrence as central to his strategy. Outgoing CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman praised Schiess as an exceptional leader. The Air & Space Forces Association also congratulated Schiess, noting the critical role of space in modern military operations.