New Acting Navy Head Not Defense Chief’s First Choice

Adm. Lisa Franchetti had her first full day as the new acting Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Tuesday, an event that is notable given that she wasn’t even Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s first choice for the position.

Adm. Samuel Paparo was.

Franchetti took over for the retired Adm. Mike Gilday on Monday in a relinquishing ceremony at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Franchetti’s promotion is on hold and she will remain in an acting capacity until such time that she can be formally confirmed by the Senate. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., remains in a one-man standoff against the Pentagon over its reimbursement policies for service members who get abortions, an issue that has resulted in three military branches without confirmed heads for the first time ever.

One of those is Franchetti as CNO.

But if Austin had his way, Franchetti wouldn’t even be acting chief on Tuesday.

Austin recommended Paparo for the top post in June even though Franchetti was next in line as vice chief of Naval ops. However, President Joe Biden changed his mind in July amid meetings with Austin, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chief of Staff Jeff Zients a month later to discuss the posts. Biden ultimately chose Franchetti.

Austin was “good with it,” Politico reported in July.

Paparo got a promotion, too. Biden tabbed him to lead U.S. Indo-Pacific Command — the top military post in the Pacific. Paparo had been chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Once confirmed, Franchetti will become the first woman to lead a military service and the first to sit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group of senior military leaders which advises the president.