President Donald Trump has nominated Mark Ditlevson as the next assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs. According to Congress records, the nomination was received by the Senate on Oct. 2 and has since been referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
If confirmed, Ditlevson will succeed Melissa Griffin Dalton, who served in the position under President Joe Biden.
Learn more about the global threats the U.S. is currently facing and key developments in homeland security at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12. The in-person event will feature panel discussions between government officials and industry leaders on artificial intelligence and other technologies that may shape the future of homeland security operations. Purchase your tickets today.
Who Is Mark Ditlevson?
Ditlevson currently sits as the acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs. In the role, he oversees policy and planning for matters related to homeland defense, including providing defense support for civil authorities, and manages defense relations across the Western Hemisphere.
On LinkedIn, Ditlevson shared that he served as policy adviser to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and as special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict. He also served as an explosives ordnance disposal officer for the U.S. Navy for over six years.
The seasoned government leader holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Related Articles
The Department of the Army has combined U.S. Army Futures Command and Army Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, to form Army Transformation and Training Command, or T2COM. Army Transformation & Training Command’s Mission & Functions According to a notice published Thursday on the Army Publishing Directorate’s website, the military branch expects T2COM to enable the synchronization and integration of force development, force generation and force design responsibilities under a singular Army command. T2COM will be responsible for synchronizing recruitment efforts. The command will educate, train and strengthen the profession of arms and advance Army modernization initiatives. It will also
The White House’s Council of Economic Advisers has released a report warning that the U.S. could lose as much as $15 billion in gross domestic product for each week the government is shut down. A monthlong government shutdown could result in 43,000 additional unemployed individuals in the U.S., according to the CEA analysis published Wednesday. Government Shutdown’s Disruption to Federal Workforce The report noted that more than 1.9 million federal civilian employees could be subject to furloughs or required to continue working without pay during a government shutdown. According to the analysis, federal contractors are not eligible for backpay once
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan has established a new cross-departmental portfolio aimed at reinforcing a warrior ethos and improving the quality of service across the Navy and Marine Corps. The initiative will be led by Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, whose mandate ties service member readiness, family well-being and institutional accountability directly to the fleet’s operational effectiveness. Unified Focus on People and Performance The portfolio consolidates major functions affecting sailors and Marines — from personnel policies and housing to audit oversight and digital infrastructure — under a single leadership framework. According to Phelan, the move is designed