P
resident Donald Trump has nominated Ed Forst, chairman of Lion Capital and a former senior advisor to the Treasury Department under President George W. Bush, to be the permanent administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA). Acting Administrator Mike Rigas welcomed the nomination, expressing enthusiasm for the confirmation process and Forst's potential leadership.

    Forst needs Senate approval before taking on the role. He would succeed Rigas, who joined GSA last week as acting administrator after Stephen Ehikian stepped down as deputy administrator. Ehikian had been acting administrator since January.

    As a private sector executive with experience in banking and real estate, Forst has led Lion Capital since 2020 and previously served as CEO of Cushman and Wakefield and worked at Goldman Sachs for 17 years. He would inherit an agency undergoing significant changes under the Trump administration, including reducing the federal real estate portfolio, streamlining acquisition processes, and implementing technology tools like artificial intelligence.

    GSA is also downsizing its workforce by over 30 percent, as outlined in its fiscal 2026 budget request to Congress. The agency aims to continue reducing costs through efficient operations and procurement practices. Forst would need to bring in a new deputy administrator and Public Buildings Service commissioner, as Stephen Ehikian may be leaving soon along with other political appointees.

    The Public Buildings Service is requesting $10.5 billion in funding for its Capital Investment Program, which includes repairing mission-critical facilities, reducing operating expenses, and consolidating assets through the optimization of core federal buildings.