Former Space Force commander to serve with Hegseth as deputy secretary of the Air Force: President-elect Donald Trump

A former fighter pilot will be the next deputy secretary of the United States Air Force. President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday night.

Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, former commander of the US Space Force, appeared on Fox News to discuss military readiness in July after claiming he was fired for criticizing the “Marxist” DEI complex.

Lohmeier, a 2006 graduate of the US Air Force AcademyHe was in the military for more than a decade before joining the Space Force in 2020, where he specialized in missile warning systems.

Lieutenant Colonel Mateo Lohmeier (United States Congress)

SPACE FORCE COMMANDER WHO SAYS HE LOST HIS PENSION FOR CRITICIZING DEI IN THE MILITARY OPENS TO BEING ‘BETRAYED’

He was fired less than a year later and lost his pension., after appearing in The Steve Gruber Show to talk about his best-selling book, “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Aim of Conquest and the Destruction of the American Military.”

Lohmeier was relieved of his command and subjected to an Inspector General investigation initiated by the Pentagon, according to a biography posted on Congress.gov.

After separating from active duty in September 2021, he became a public speaker and consultant on “issues of Marxist ideology and tactics, CRT, military culture, and preservation of freedom,” according to the biography.

Matthew Lohmeier (Buckley Space Force Base)

Trump praised Lohmeier in the nomination announcement, writing that Lohmeier “dedicated his life to serving our Great Nation.”

“Matthew will work with the GREAT candidate for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegsethto end the devastating “woke” policies that have destroyed our Military and make our country STRONG AGAIN,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Congratulations Matthew!”

Lohmeier responded in X, thanking Trump for the nomination.

“I am grateful for your trust and look forward to continuing my service to our great men and women in uniform,” he wrote. “To all the men and women who wish to serve your country in uniform, join us now! We want the best, the brightest and the strongest in you at this critical moment in American history.”

Lohmeier has master’s degrees in military operational art and science and military strategy, according to his biography. He lives with his wife and children in Idaho.

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The US Space Force and the Department of Defense did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Hannah Grossman and Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi contributed to this story.