Dismissed Space Force lieutenant colonel tapped to join Air Force leadership under Trump

President-elect Trump announced Friday that Matthew Lohmeier will serve as the under secretary of the Air Force. 

“Matt is a former fighter pilot, and Space Force Squadron Commander, who has devoted his life to serving our Great Nation,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “He is a proud graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.” 

In 2021, Lohmeier was fired from the Space Force, where he served as a lieutenant colonel, after criticizing the U.S. military on a conservative podcast. Lohmeier joined “The Steve Gruber Show” to discuss his book “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military,” which claims that Marxist beliefs have become increasingly common in the military. In the same appearance, he also called The New York Times’s 1619 Project “anti-American.” 

At the time, the Defense Department said it had lost “trust and confidence” in Lohmeier as the reason for his dismissal. His removal from the role was met with outrage from Republican lawmakers, including former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who called the department’s move “retaliatory.” 

On Friday, Trump wrote that in his new role, Lohmeier will work to “end the devastating ‘woke’ policies that have destroyed our Military, and make our Country STRONG AGAIN.” 

Lohmeier will serve alongside Troy Meink, who Trump tapped to lead the Air Force earlier this week. His appointment, as well as Meink’s, will require Senate confirmation.