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Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald J. Trump quietly nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson as the next commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The decision, which received little media coverage at the time, is part of a wider shake-up in U.S. military leadership and reflects the Trump administration’s ongoing interest in reasserting American influence across the African continent.
Lt. Gen. Anderson currently serves as Director of Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. A highly decorated officer, Anderson brings decades of experience in air operations, special operations, and strategic command. His previous assignments include serving as the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command-Africa from 2019 to 2021. Over the course of his career, he has logged more than 3,400 flight hours, including over 700 combat hours.
A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in electrical engineering, Anderson also holds a master’s in international public policy from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His academic and operational background makes him uniquely qualified to lead AFRICOM at a time when both security and diplomatic challenges on the continent are intensifying.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gen. Anderson will become the first Air Force general to lead AFRICOM since its establishment in 2007. Traditionally, the role has been held by senior officers from the U.S. Army or Marine Corps. His appointment marks a shift in strategic thinking about how the U.S. approaches military engagement on the continent, particularly with an increased emphasis on aerial surveillance, rapid deployment, and special operations.
AFRICOM is responsible for overseeing U.S. military operations and partnerships across 53 African nations. Its primary missions include counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, security cooperation, and crisis response. The command has played a key role in battling extremist groups such as al-Shabaab, ISIS in the Sahel, and other transnational threats.
President Trump’s choice comes at a time when competition for influence in Africa is intensifying. With Russia expanding its security footprint, particularly through private military contractors in countries like Mali, and China investing heavily in infrastructure and digital networks, the U.S. is under pressure to maintain strategic relevance. The Trump administration has recently emphasized the importance of “America First, Africa Strong” a policy framing that promotes mutual military and economic cooperation without ceding ground to global rivals.
Anderson is expected to replace Marine Gen. Michael Langley, who became the first Black four-star Marine Corps general when he took command of AFRICOM in 2022. Under Langley, the U.S. focused heavily on partnerships in West Africa, monitoring illegal gold smuggling used to finance terrorism, and countering extremist threats from groups operating in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
In addition to Lt. Gen. Anderson’s nomination, President Trump has also announced new leaders for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. European Command (EUCOM), signaling a comprehensive restructuring of American military leadership heading into the second half of his term. All nominations await Senate confirmation.
Once confirmed and promoted to four-star general, Lt. Gen. Anderson will become the seventh overall commander of AFRICOM and take the reins of one of America’s most strategically important regional commands. His appointment reinforces Trump’s message that the U.S. will not abandon its role on the African continent, especially as other powers seek to fill vacuums in security, trade, and diplomacy.
While the announcement may have flown under the radar, the implications of Anderson’s appointment are significant. With rising instability across several African regions and increased foreign influence on the continent, AFRICOM’s new leadership under Lt. Gen. Anderson could help reshape U.S.-Africa military relations and ensure that American presence remains strong, strategic, and respected.
