Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III reappointment was announced today as the president nominated the Marine Corps officer to serve as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling in Washington, D.C. The announcement was made by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and marks a significant leadership move for the U.S. military intelligence enterprise.
If confirmed, Adams would continue to serve in the grade of lieutenant general while taking command of the Pentagon run agency responsible for providing intelligence support to combatant commands, defense policymakers, and national leaders.
Senior Marine Officer Selected for DIA Role
Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III is currently serving as deputy commandant for Programs and Resources at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. In that role, he oversees budget development, force structure planning, and long term resource allocation for the Marine Corps from the Pentagon.
The Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III reappointment reflects continued confidence in his experience managing complex defense organizations and aligning resources with operational requirements. His background includes senior leadership assignments across operational, planning, and institutional roles within the Marine Corps.
Leadership Transition at Defense Intelligence Agency
As director, Adams would lead the Defense Intelligence Agency workforce and oversee intelligence analysis, collection management, and support to joint and coalition operations. The position is one of the most senior intelligence posts within the Department of Defense.
The Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III reappointment comes at a time of heightened focus on great power competition, global force posture, and intelligence integration across domains. DIA plays a central role in supporting military planning and decision making across all geographic combatant commands.
Next Steps
The nomination requires Senate confirmation before Adams can assume duties as Defense Intelligence Agency director. Until confirmed, he will continue serving in his current Marine Corps assignment.
