U.S. Air Force Vice Nominee Pulled, Adding To Leadership Uncertainty

The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Gen. Thomas Bussiere to be the U.S. Air Force’s vice chief of staff, a source familiar with the decision says.

The personnel change adds to the turbulence at the top of the service’s military leadership ranks.

Bussiere was tapped to replace former Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife, who was fired in February along with several other military leaders. It is not yet clear if the nomination was pulled with the intention of resubmitting for another role.

But Bussiere’s nomination for vice chief of staff gained new significance on Aug. 18, when current Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced he would step down on or around Nov. 2, which unexpectedly cut a traditionally four-year tenure by half.

The nominee for Allvin’s successor as chief of staff has not been named. Before his nomination was withdrawn, Bussiere was on track to be confirmed as the vice chief of staff when Allvin’s resignation becomes effective in November, allowing the former to step into the chief of staff role in an acting capacity.

The White House referred a question to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which in turn referred questions to the Air Force. An Air Force spokesperson said the service did not have any information to provide at this time.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus is currently serving as the acting vice chief of staff. Pleus is the service’s director of staff at its headquarters.

Along with former Air Combat Command boss Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, Bussiere also was among the leading candidates under consideration to be the next chief of staff.

Aviation Week reported in March that the Trump administration had tapped Bussiere for the vice chief of staff position, which the White House confirmed in July. Bussiere flew Boeing F-15Cs and Northrop Grumman B-2As during his 39-year career.