Air Force's top uniformed officer is retiring early in latest Trump military shake-up

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force's top uniformed officer is set to retire early in the most recent shake-up of military leadership during President Donald Trump’s second term.

Gen. David Allvin will continue serving as the service’s chief of staff until a replacement is confirmed by the Senate, the Air Force announced Monday. He expects to retire around Nov. 1, two years into his four-year term, it said in a statement.

Allvin joins other top military officials who have stepped down or been fired by Trump's Republican administration during a broader leadership upheaval, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plans to slash the number of senior military positions in what he calls an efficiency effort and a purge of top officers who were believed to endorse diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

For example, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in February. Brown was the second Black general to serve as chairman, and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine later took over the role.

Allvin, a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours, was appointed Air Force chief of staff by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, serving since November 2023. Before that, he was vice chief of staff during Trump’s first term.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff and I’m thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump’s faith in me to lead our service,” Allvin said in the Air Force's statement.

When asked for more details on Allvin's departure, the Air Force directed The Associated Press to its statement.

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Air Force at https://apnews.com/hub/us-air-force.

FILE - Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force and Space Force on Capitol Hill, June 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, FILE)

FILE - Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force and Space Force on Capitol Hill, June 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)

FILE - Gen. David Allvin testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee nominations hearing on his reappointment to the grade of General and to be U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, Sept. 12, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin testifies before the House Committee on Armed Services hearing on the Department of the Air Force Fiscal Year 2026 Posture on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

FILE - Gen. David Allvin testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee nominations hearing on his reappointment to the grade of General and to be U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, Sept. 12, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/

Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.

Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.

“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”

Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.

About Kuleana Rum Works

Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.

https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/