WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has quietly replaced Marc Berkowitz as space policy czar, with his former deputy Michael Gancio now serving as acting assistant secretary.
Gancio has a background in intelligence, according to his official DoD biography, most recently serving as an advisor to Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The decision wasn’t formally announced, although two sources said he left the position on Wednesday. As of Thursday, the Defense Department’s website had been updated to reflect the changeover; Berkowitz’s biography now shows he is the “former” assistant secretary, and Gancio’s lists him as the acting.
Berkowitz could not be reached for comment. The Office of the Secretary of Defense did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
However, sources inside and outside of the Pentagon said that Berkowitz — who was confirmed by the Senate in December and officially started at his post in January — resigned.
Government and industry sources have said that Berkowitz, who has had a long space-oriented career in both government and industry, had clashed with his boss, Elbridge Colby, on more than one occasion.
“From what I have been told, Colby doesn’t care about space so it has been frustrating,” one industry consultant with Pentagon ties said.
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