President Donald Trump has named a GOP political consultant based in Colorado Springs to the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors. 

The board advises the Department of Defense on how to run the school and has recently taken a more active role, forwarding a report to Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year, with recommendations such as increasing the number of cadets. 

The president names six of the 17 members to the board and two of his picks recently have drawn more attention to the group.

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk served on the board briefly before he was shot and killed in September and drew attention to academy issues. Trump has since named Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s wife to the board. 

On Wednesday, Board Chairman U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, announced Trump appointed Colorado Springs resident Jon Hotaling to serve. He owns Liberty Service Group and has been a longtime Colorado GOP consultant. 

“I’m greatly honored to serve the American people and President Donald J. Trump to help our future military leaders protect our lives and uphold the laws and values that have made our country the greatest civilization for good in the history of mankind,” Hotaling said in a news release. He did not respond to requests for comment. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. appointed Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.,  and Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., to the board, who also expressed eagerness to get to work on academy issues in the news statement. 

Hotaling’s appointment sparked skepticism among local Republicans who said Hotaling did not bring the appropriate qualifications to the job. 

Recently, he was the lead consultant for Republican Ron Hanks, who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022. This year, Hotaling worked with Republican Hope Scheppelman, who challenged U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction, to represent the 3rd Congressional District.

Notably, he ran longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn’s campaign to represent Colorado Springs in 2006 and faced Federal Election Commission complaints that other companies and organizations he ran or had recently run were involved in third-party attacks on Lamborn’s primary opponents, including current Colorado Springs U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank. Crank is also on the Board of Visitors and did not comment on the appointment. 

“I don’t know what he’s done other than be a political hatchet man for candidates,” said Republican state Sen. Larry Liston, who ran against a candidate Hotaling was working with 10 years ago. At the time, Liston was running for a state House seat. 

Liston said he could easily name many candidates, far better qualified to help guide the Air Force Academy. 

“It comes as a great shock, and I am sure I am not alone,” Liston said of Hotaling’s appointment. 

Former state GOP chair Jeff Hayes said he also could name many other more qualified candidates.  

“I just don’t understand this choice because he is not qualified,” said Hayes, who led the party between 2017 and 2019. 

The White House did not respond to requests for comment about Hotaling’s appointment.

Colorado Politics Reporter Ernest Luning contributed to this story.