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Trump taps Caudle as Navy’s next leader, USMC’s Mahoney as joints chiefs No. 2
The nominations follows Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s removal from her post as the 33rd CNO more than two years earlier than planned.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, gives a speech during the Nuclear Power School (NPS) class 2206 graduation ceremony at Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC), Charleston, Jan. 20, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dartañon D. De La Garza/Released)
WASHINGTON — The White House has nominated Adm. Daryl Caudle, a career submariner and currently the commander of US Fleet Forces, to be the US Navy’s 34th chief of naval operations, as well as the Marine Corps’ Gen. Christopher Mahoney as the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Both announcements were made to little fanfare, only as updates to a congressional website tracking nominations.
Caudle is currently the chief of US Fleet Forces command, the Navy’s four-star operational command based in Norfolk, Va. He previously served as commander of submarine forces, deputy commander of US 6th Fleet as well as vice director for strategy, plans, and policy on the Joint Staff. USNI News first reported Caudle’s nomination.
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Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a career surface warfare officer and the first woman to become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was removed from her post on Feb. 21 alongside Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the Air Force’s No. 2 officer Gen. James Slife.
The White House at that time also removed the top Judge Advocate General for the Army, Air Force and Navy. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Kilby has been serving as the interim CNO since Franchetti’s firing.
Mahoney, a career Marine aviator, is currently the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. He previously served as the deputy Marine Corps commandant for programs and resources at the Pentagon.
“His general officer duties to date include a posting as the deputy commander of Marine Forces Pacific, the director of strategy and plans at Headquarters Marine Corps, deputy commander, United States Forces, Japan and as the commanding general, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,” his biography states.
Mahoney would replace Adm. Chris Grady, who is due to complete his term as the vice chair later this year.
Breaking Defense reached out to the Navy, White House and the Office of the Secretary of Defense about both nominations. Those offices have either not yet responded or deferred the question to one another. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Caudle’s nomination today during a Senate hearing, but did not expound on the decision.
Meanwhile, the Navy is still waiting for Congress to host a nomination hearing and confirm the White House’s nomination for its second most senior civilian, Hung Cao.
During his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, Hegseth attempted to reassure ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., that the administration was working to put the best people in each open position. He said there have been high-level talks about a nomination to fill another key opening, the head of US Cyber Command, as recently as Tuesday.
UPDATED 6/18/2025 at 2:00pm ET to include the information about the nomination for the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
