【By Observer News, Xiong Chaoran】On January 15, shortly after the incident of "Venezuelan President Maduro being kidnapped," the person nominated by U.S. President Trump to command U.S. military forces in Latin America attended a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on January 16 that, when facing pressure and questions from senators, the nominee for the Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Francis Donovan, evaded the issue, refusing to clearly state support for using military means to counter China's growing influence in the region.

He repeatedly refused to comment on whether the United States should mainly rely on military force to counter China's expanding influence, and this evasive attitude ran through the entire hearing. These U.S. lawmakers were trying to find out how the U.S. Southern Command would operate under the new strategic environment brought about by the raid on Venezuela.

The report pointed out that Donovan's nomination comes at a time of increasing regional strategic tensions, with Maduro being taken to the U.S., which not only stirred up the ambitions of Trump's political allies but also caused unease among countries in the region, leaving a large number of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean Sea area.

As China and Russia deepen their economic, technological, and defense cooperation in South America, senators have portrayed this hearing as a "test" to examine how the U.S. Southern Command plans to act within the reshaped security landscape and intensifying great power competition.

Francis Donovan attending the hearing on January 15, Bloomberg

According to the report, when answering questions about China and Russia, Donovan claimed that the U.S. needs to balance different tools of influence, "relying more on soft power and supplementing it with strong military force when necessary to address these threats."

Donovan stated that he currently cannot assess whether the U.S. Southern Command has the intelligence needed to focus on China, nor does he know how long the naval force buildup in the Caribbean Sea will last, and he cannot judge the status of inter-agency coordination before officially taking office.

Alongside Donovan at the hearing was Joshua Rudd, who was nominated by Trump as the commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, and he took the same position.

Both emphasized that they had not yet formally assumed their positions, so they could not evaluate existing plans or resources. This common evasive stance angered members of both parties, including Republicans supporting Trump's "regional strategy plan".

Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a Republican U.S. Senator from Mississippi, expressed dissatisfaction: "Gentlemen, you can certainly tell us your real views. We know you haven't been confirmed yet, but so far we have not heard anything from you about what you think about the responsibilities you are about to take. It would be very helpful for us if you could tell us."

The South China Morning Post noted that this frustration was largely focused on issues related to China, with Wicker describing China as a "strategic threat" to the U.S. in his opening remarks.

Jack Reed, the committee's ranking member and a Democratic U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, raised similar concerns. He complained that the U.S. Southern Command has long faced resource limitations while dealing with equally matched opponents.

Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott from Florida praised the operation of kidnapping Maduro as "flawless," but also asked Donovan about "how China and Russia would view this event."

Donovan responded that he had no information about the reactions of China and Russia, but he hoped that they would pay attention to this matter.

"I believe they will be very vigilant toward the U.S. military. This long-range, high-speed, large-scale precision operation is impressive. This is the capability we demonstrate when we fight around the world," he claimed.

Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut also continuously pressured, accusing China and Russia of posing a so-called "threat" within the "area of responsibility" of the U.S. Southern Command, and questioned how Donovan viewed this issue.

Donovan's response was that if the nomination was confirmed, he would thoroughly study the issue.

"I believe both countries will remain vigilant regarding military competition because that would pull them away from their sources of strength and power," he also claimed. He said that China and Russia are already "deeply rooted" in the "jurisdiction" of the U.S. Southern Command, and most responses or countermeasures would come from the economic aspect, as well as using other means to deal with these "infiltrations."

According to the report, as a career special operations officer from the U.S. Marine Corps, Donovan has participated in secret operations and high-intensity combat, and has commanded the U.S. Marines and joint forces stationed in the Middle East. His recent position was Deputy Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

In Washington defense circles, it is generally expected that Donovan's nomination would reflect a preference for military action expertise, while the U.S. Southern Command has traditionally been characterized by security cooperation and inter-agency coordination.

If confirmed, Donovan will succeed Alvin Holsey. Holsey suddenly resigned after serving for only 12 months, which changed expectations about the U.S. Southern Command and gave Donovan's nomination stronger political significance beyond routine personnel changes.

Previously, Holsey had advocated for addressing China through diplomatic and inter-agency approaches, emphasizing comprehensive deterrence, sharing intelligence with regional governments, and coordinating with civil agencies. His emphasis on soft power tools and inter-agency methods reflected the U.S. Southern Command's long-standing tradition of engagement rather than confrontation.

Holsey's resignation was actually due to his disagreement with the Trump administration on the issue of lethal maritime strikes against so-called drug trafficking vessels. This dispute highlighted significant differences in approach between him and the White House, which favored a tougher stance.

This hearing was held at a time when the Trump administration was redefining its strategy in the Americas.

Last December, the White House released a new National Security Strategy, designating the Western Hemisphere as a core security region for the U.S. and declaring that it would prevent external powers from controlling key infrastructure in the region.

In military terminology, the Western Hemisphere refers to the American region that serves as a geopolitical buffer zone directly related to domestic defense. This concept reflects the Monroe Doctrine, a 19th-century idea warning European powers not to interfere in the affairs of newly independent American nations.

Today, this new strategy claims that the U.S. will prevent "non-Western Hemisphere competitors" from deploying forces or acquiring key infrastructure in the region, making the region a core part of U.S. national security, rather than just a stage for diplomatic activities.

On January 12, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Latin American countries are sovereign states with the right to choose their partners. No matter how the situation changes, China will continue to deepen practical cooperation with Latin American countries, including Venezuela, to promote common development.

This article is an exclusive article from Observer News, and may not be reprinted without permission.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7595950557291020842/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.