Francis Donovan (general)

Francis Donovan
Official portrait, 2026
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
United States Marine Corps
Service years
1986–present
Rank
General
Commands
Conflicts
Awards
Education

Francis L. Donovan is an American general who has served as the commander of the United States Southern Command since 2026. He previously served as vice commander of the United States Special Operations Command from 2022 to 2026 and as the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division from 2020 to 2022.

Donovan entered the United States Marine Corps in 1986 and served as an infantry, reconnaissance, and special operations officer. His deployments have included the Gulf War and the Iraq War. He was the executive officer of the Marine Corps Special Operations Detachment One from 2005 to 2006. Donovan's notable commands have included the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines; the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from 2011 to 2013; and the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade from 2016 to 2018. He was also an assistant commanding general of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2018 to 2020.

As the commander of Southern Command, he has overseen airstrikes on alleged drug boats during Operation Southern Spear.

Early life and education

Donovan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from Towson University. He later received a Master of Military Studies degree from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Marine Corps University and a Master of Strategic Studies degree the United States Army War College.[1] He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.[2]

Marine career

Donovan entered the United States Marine Corps in 1986,[3] eventually becoming an infantry and reconnaissance officer. His commands included a Force Reconnaissance platoon, a Marine Corps Security Forces Detachment in Crete, Greece, a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) platoon, and a recruiting station in eastern Pennsylvania.[4] He also served as the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines.[5]

As a lieutenant colonel, Donovan served as executive officer of Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (Det One) from 16 April 2005 to 10 March 2006.[6] As a colonel, Donovan took command of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit on 6 May 2011 and led it during a nine-month deployment that included training exercises in Africa and the Middle East. The unit was also on stand-by to provide security at American embassies in the region during the Arab Spring. He relinquished command on 21 March 2013. His next assignment was as the Director of the Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia.[3] Donovan also served as the J35 at the United States Special Operations Command and the Joint Staff; and the J5 Plans Directorate as Division Chief, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell.[4]

As a brigadier general,[7] Donovan spent two years as the Commanding General of Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51 / 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (known as Task Force 51/5).[8] He assumed command of Task Force 51/5, the forward element of the Marine Corps Forces Central Command, on 24 June 2016 in Manama, Bahrain, succeeding Maj. Gen. Carl Mundy III.[7] Donovan relinquished command to Brig. Gen. Matthew Trollinger on 3 July 2018.[9] His next assignment was as assistant commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.[8][4]

He served as the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division from 2020 to 2022,[10][11][12] at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.[4] After division command, he served as the director of Marine Corps Communication.[12] In September 2022, Donovan was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as vice commander, U.S. Special Operations Command. He was confirmed 15 December 2022.[13]

SOUTHCOM commander

Donovan with Marine Security Guards at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, 18 February 2026.

In December 2025, President Donald Trump nominated him for promotion to four-star general and appointment as commander, United States Southern Command.[14][15] On 3 January 2026, the Senate returned his nomination to the president without action.[16] His nomination was re-sent to the Senate on 8 January 2026, and confirmed on 30 January 2026.[17] He assumed command on 5 February 2026, succeeding acting commander Lt. Gen. Evan Pettus.[18]

On 18 February 2026, Donovan and U.S. chargé d'affaires to Venezuela Laura F. Dogu met with officials of the Venezuelan interim government—weeks after the U.S. intervention in Venezuela—to discuss the security situation and President Donald Trump's plan for the stabilization of the country.[19] From 1–2 March, he visited Ecuador to discuss security cooperation with President Daniel Noboa and senior defense officials.[20] On 17 March, he presented his Southern Command posture statement to Congress, which notably differed from those of previous commanders by shifting the focus from Chinese influence in the region to drug cartels, and from supporting overall development to the use of direct military force.[21] During the 2026 Cuban crisis, he told the Senate on 19 March 2026 that the U.S. military is not rehearsing or actively preparing to invade Cuba.[22] Donovan visited Panama from 30 March–1 April, where he met President José Raúl Mulino and other officials to discuss cooperation.[23]

At Donovan's direction, Southern Command increased military activity to counter drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific, which included operating additional fixed-wing aircraft and MQ-9 Reaper drones from El Salvador and Puerto Rico.[24] As part of Operation Southern Spear, Southern Command conducted airstrikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific at the direction of Donovan during April 2026.[25][26][27][28]

Awards and decorations

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Gold star
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges
Gold star
Gold star
Gold star
Gold star
Gold star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
SCUBA Diver Badge
Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia
Silver Star Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Legion of Merit with one gold award star Meritorious Service Medal with two gold award stars Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold award stars Combat Action Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with three service stars
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Expert Rifle Badge Expert Pistol Badge
United States Southern Command Badge

Dates of promotion

RankBranchDate
MajorMarine Corps22 May 1998[29]
Lieutenant colonel31 March 2003[30]
Colonel3 April 2009[31]
Brigadier general26 May 2016[32]
Major general20 March 2020[33]
Lieutenant general15 December 2022[13]
General30 January 2026[17]

Personal life

Donovan is married to Kim, a retired Navy officer, and they have two children.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Commanding General, 2d Marine Division". U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  2. ↑ "General Francis Donovan". The Presidential Prayer Team. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 Wallace, Monique (21 March 2013). "24th MEU says goodbye to commander, welcomes another". 24thmeu.marines.mil. U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan". Timothy Day Foundation. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Blumenstein, Richard (6 May 2011). "New commander takes over the helm of 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit". DVIDS. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "DET ONE U.S. MARINE CORPS U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND DETACHMENT, 2003–2006" (PDF). United States Marine Corps. 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. 1 2 Church, Chris (24 June 2016). "Donovan assumes command of 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade". Stars & Stripes. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Commanding General, 2d Marine Division". U.S. Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ↑ Timm, Wesley (3 July 2018). "Task Force 51/5 Change of Command Ceremony [Image 9 of 10]". DVIDS. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "VMI Alumni Assume, Change Commands". VMI Alumni Agencies. 2 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Fair Winds and Following Seas: 2d Marine Division Change of Command". DVIDS.
  12. 1 2 "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  13. 1 2 "PN2513 — Maj. Gen. Francis L. Donovan — Marine Corps". United States Congress. 6 September 2022.
  14. ↑ "Secretary of War General Officer Announcements for December 19, 2025". U.S. Department of War. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  15. ↑ Insinna, Valerie (19 December 2025). "Trump nominates Marine general for top SOUTHCOM job". Breaking Defense. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "PN722 — Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan — Marine Corps, 119th Congress (2025-2026)". U.S. Congress. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  17. 1 2 "PN729 — Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan — Marine Corps, 119th Congress (2025-2026)". U.S. Congress. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  18. ↑ McLoud, Steven (5 February 2026). "U.S. Marine General Donovan Assumes Command of SOUTHCOM". U.S. Southern Command. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "Readout of SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan's meeting with Venezuelan interim authorities". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Gen. Donovan Visits Ecuador". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  21. ↑ Ratzlaff, Adam; Tobin, Jeffrey; Woods, Emma (17 March 2026). "Gunboats and Cartels: The Return of Force in the Americas". Small Wars Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "US military is not preparing for Cuba takeover, top general tells lawmakers". Reuters via The Guardian. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "Gen. Donovan Meets with Panamanian President Mulino, Senior Security Leaders in Panama". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 1 April 2026. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  24. ↑ Schmitt, Eric (28 April 2026). "Military Quietly Accelerates Boat Strikes, Deploying More Aircraft". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "Lethal Kinetic Strike, April 14, 2026". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  26. ↑ "Lethal Kinetic Strike, April 15, 2026". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 15 April 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  27. ↑ "Lethal Kinetic Strike, April 19, 2026". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "Lethal Kinetic Strike, April 26, 2026". www.southcom.mil. U.S. Southern Command. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  29. ↑ "PN1071 — Marine Corps". www.congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 1998. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "PN365 — Marine Corps". www.congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 2003. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "PN113 — Marine Corps". www.congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  32. ↑ "PN1163 — Marine Corps". www.congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "PN1402 — Marine Corps". www.congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
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