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A US Air Force colonel with roots on the continent is expected to be appointed President Donald Trump’s senior Africa director, two people familiar with the matter told Semafor.
Col. Jean-Philippe Peltier, a career intelligence officer, was born in Chad and raised across Francophone Africa, wrote a PhD on sub-Saharan African politics, and served as director of the sub-Saharan African Orientation Course at the US Air Force Special Operations School. He would lead the White House’s Africa team at the National Security Council, which already includes two Africa directors who have military experience.
The news comes as reports suggest that Trump is considering folding US Africa Command into its European counterpart.
— Mathias Hammer and Yinka Adegoke
