“I am pleased to announce my nomination of four-star General Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the United States Army — as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing General Joe Dunford, who will be retiring,” Trump posted on Twitter Saturday morning. President Barack Obama, during his time in office, announced his nominations for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff five months before they took the role. Later on Saturday, departing the White House for Philadelphia for the annual Army-Navy football game, Trump told reporters that Milley is “a great gentleman, he’s a great patriot, he’s a great soldier.”

Trump’s announcement comes months earlier than expected. “I can give you a little hint: It will have to do with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and succession.”

The change comes as Trump is also likely to replace chief of staff, John Kelly, in the coming days, senior sources told ABC News. Milley is currently the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army, assuming duty in August 2015 after serving as the Commandant of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. A native of Winchester, Massachusetts, and a fervent supporter of the Boston Red Sox and other city teams, Milley received his Army commission from Princeton University in 1980. President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley during a Rose Garden, May 1, 2018, at the White House in Washington.more + Departing the White House on Friday, Trump teased an announcement related to the Joint Chiefs that he said would be made at the annual Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia on Saturday. At the game, Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper and Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer, according to the White House.
President Trump announces his nomination of army general Mark A. Milley to succeed marine general Joseph Dunford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.