Former Space Force officer once relieved over Marxism remarks confirmed

confirmed as Air Force’s No. 2 civilian

A former Space Force officer who was relieved of command in 2021 over remarks stemming from a book he wrote on Marxist thinking within the U.S. military is now the No. 2 civilian leader of the Air Force.

Matthew Lohmeier was confirmed Thursday as the new undersecretary of the Air Force and is tasked with managing its day-to-day business.

He will oversee the Department of the Air Force’s budget and direct strategy and policy development, the service said in a statement Thursday.

Airmen and guardians “deserve all of the best tools, training and support they need to perform their missions in an increasingly complex and quickly evolving threat environment,” Lohmeier said in the statement.

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2025-07-25/air-force-undersecretary-lohmeier-18550908.html