A Texas senator is making his way to Washington D.C. to lead the Department of Defense, following a recent wave of appointments announced by the White House.
President Donald Trump has nominated Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, to serve as assistant secretary of defense under Secretary Pete Hegseth. Birdwell’s nomination, submitted to the U.S. Senate on Oct. 21, 2025, would fill the post previously held by Christopher Joseph Lowman. Lowman retired in September 2024, after 40 years in government service.
A 20-year U.S. Army veteran, Birdwell served in Operation Desert Storm and a Central American humanitarian mission in the 1990s before being severely injured in the Sept. 11, 2001, Pentagon attack. Afterwards he received the Purple Heart and retired from the Army in 2004.
Birdwell has represented his North Texas district for 15 years. He announced in June that he would not seek reelection. In the Texas Senate, he chaired the Committees on Border Security and Natural Resources and served on committees overseeing nominations, state affairs, and water and agriculture.
State leaders, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Paul Bettencourt, praised his nomination. The appointment now awaits U.S. Senate confirmation.
Photo of Sen. Birdwell