President Donald Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, to serve as the next vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army and be promoted to the rank of general.
According to a congressional notice, the upper chamber received and referred LaNeve’s nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday.
If confirmed by the Senate, LaNeve will succeed Gen. James Mingus, who was confirmed as the vice chief of staff of the Army in December 2023.
Who Is Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve?
In March, LaNeve was tapped to serve as senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a 2025 Wash100 awardee.
In this capacity, he serves as Hegseth’s principal military point of contact and coordinates with the Joint Staff, combatant commands and other agencies on policy matters and related subjects.
Before assuming his current role, LaNeve served as commanding general of Eighth Army and chief of staff of the Combined Forces Command in South Korea. He led the “Fight Tonight” mission, focusing on readiness with the Republic of Korea military allies and soldiers.
His previous roles include special assistant to the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command; commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division; deputy chief of staff of Army Forces Command; and director of operations, readiness and mobilization within the Army’s Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff.
