The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed the commander of its Little Rock District last week, citing a loss of confidence in his leadership, according to a statement.
The decision, announced Jan. 15, was framed by senior leaders as part of a broader effort to hold district commanders accountable for cutting bureaucracy and accelerating civil works projects across the country.
The announcement did not identify the commander by name but said that Lt. Col. Jesse Carter, the district’s deputy commander, will assume the role on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is found.
Task and Purpose identified the commander removed as Col. Patrick Caukin, who assumed command of the district in July 2025, according to an announcement on the district’s social media account.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle said that while the Corps is staffed with “incredible, patriotic people,” bureaucracy has burdened the public.
“For the first time in decades, under the Trump Administration, Commanders who fail to follow orders and overcome entrenched bureaucracy will be dealt with accordingly,” Telle said.
Lt. Gen William “Butch” Graham, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said that he relieved the Little Rock District commander “based on a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” adding that district commanders are “expected to demonstrate effective leadership committed to rapid and continuous transformation, less red tape, and a bias for action.”
The leadership change follows tension between Army Corps of Engineers and Missouri residents over measures taken by the Corps at Table Rock Lake, where Missouri lawmakers said property owners were ordered to remove docks and other historically-allowed structures.
In a statement released last week, Missouri politicians Rep. Eric Burlison and Sen. Eric Schmitt lauded the leadership change. “Recent administrative steps by the Trump administration, including leadership changes within the Little Rock District and direct engagement by senior Army Corps civilian leadership, mark a significant turning point toward resolving the issue and aligning enforcement practices with congressional intent,” the joint release said.
The Corps of Engineers statement did not say if the decision was related to specific projects or an investigation. Loss of confidence removals are standard mechanisms of removing commanders across the force.
The Army Corps of Engineers oversees a nationwide portfolio of federal civil works that include flood risk management, infrastructure projects and environmental management and restoration efforts. USACE projects can span years and often require close partnership with local authorities.
The USACE Little Rock District spans Arkansas and parts of southern Missouri. According to the district’s website, it is responsible for managing nearly 750,000 acres of public lands and bodies of water and $6.5 billion of infrastructure, to include reservoirs, hydroelectric power plants, public parks and dams.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.
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