US President-elect Donald Trump has picked Troy Meink, a former Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft navigator and principal deputy of the National Reconnaissance Office, to serve as secretary of the Air Force.
In a statement on his online platform Truth Social, Trump said, “I am pleased to announce that Dr. Troy Meink will be the next United States Secretary of the Air Force.”
Expanding upon the role, Trump added, “Troy will work with our incredible Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our Nation’s Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the World, as we secure peace through strength.”
Meink brings nearly 40 years of experience in both military service and government roles related to national security.
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He has managed some of the nation’s most sensitive satellite intelligence capabilities and the military’s space portfolio.
If confirmed, Meink would take on the role as the Air Force and US Space Force are working to reshape the nation’s space capabilities. The US Space Force, established by Trump during his first term, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.
Many countries, including Russia, China, North Korea, and the US, are developing new technologies to disable or defend the numerous satellites orbiting the Earth as a means to cripple potential adversaries without engaging in traditional land-based warfare.
Meink, a native of Lemmon, South Dakota, joined the Air Force as an ROTC cadet at South Dakota State University in 1988. In his previous position at the National Reconnaissance Office, he oversaw a budget of more than $15 billion for acquiring new satellite capabilities.
