John Noh, a veteran Army officer and former prosecutor, would take over one of the Pentagon’s most sensitive Asia policy roles.
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated John Noh, a Korean American defense official, to serve as assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs — a pivotal post overseeing U.S. military strategy and alliances across East and Southeast Asia, including South Korea, Japan, China and North Korea.
The move formalizes Noh’s role five months after he stepped in as acting deputy following the departure of Ely Ratner, a Biden-era appointee who left when the Trump administration took office in January.
If confirmed by the Senate, Noh would take charge of one of the Pentagon’s most strategically significant portfolios, at a time when tensions with China remain high and U.S. partners in the region are seeking clarity on Washington’s long-term posture.
Noh brings a diverse background to the role. A former U.S. Army officer who served in Afghanistan, he later worked as a federal prosecutor in Houston from 2019 to 2021. He holds degrees from Brown University and Stanford Law School.
Before joining the Defense Department as deputy assistant secretary for East Asia, Noh served as legal counsel to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party — a key panel shaping congressional oversight of U.S.-China policy.
