Biden picks career aviator Mahoney as Marine Corps’ next assistant commandant

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has nominated Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney, a career aviator and previous 3rd Marine Air Wing commanding general, to serve as the service’s number two officer — adding to an already sizeable backlog of senior military officer nominations piling up on Capitol Hill.

Although the White House did not make a formal announcement yet, the nomination can be seen on the congressional nominee tracking website, which indicates Mahoney has been chosen for a fourth star and to become the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Spokespeople for the National Security Council and the Marine Corps did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the nomination. However, the commandant’s spokesperson Maj. Joshua Larson did confirm the news on Twitter.

Mahoney currently serves as the deputy Marine Corps commandant for programs and resources at the Pentagon. A career aviator, he has accrued 5,000 flight hours in A-6s, F-5s, F-18s and the F-35, according to his official service biography.

“His general officer duties to date include a posting as the deputy commander of Marine Forces Pacific, the director of strategy and plans at Headquarters Marine Corps, deputy commander, United States Forces, Japan and as the commanding general, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,” his biography states.

Mahoney’s nomination to serve as the second most senior Marine comes just days — and much more quietly — than the White House’s announcement last week selecting the Navy’s next chief of naval operations, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, as well as some of the service’s most senior officer billets, including the vice chief of naval operations as well as the commanders of US Indo-Pacific Command and US Pacific Fleet.

It also comes as an ongoing standoff between the Pentagon’s political leadership and Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Ala., continues to hold up hundreds of senior military officer nominations, including Gen. Eric Smith, the prospective next Marine Corps commandant, Gen. CQ Brown, the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs as well as dozens of less senior billets down the chain of command.

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If confirmed, Mahoney would relieve Smith, the service’s current assistant commandant and, due to the political squabbles on Capitol Hill, “acting” commandant.