The shake-up is a sharp reversal for Trump, who in 2020 nominated Brown as the Air Force’s chief of staff, lauding the historic appointment of the first African-American military service chief
read more
President Donald Trump on Friday (February 21) dismissed Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after weeks of mounting tensions at the Pentagon, marking an unprecedented move that injects politics into the appointment of the nation’s top military leader.
Brown, a four-star Air Force general and fighter pilot known as CQ, became only the second African American to serve as chairman. He will be replaced by retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, a former three-star general who gained Trump’s trust during a meeting in Iraq six years ago.
“Today, I am honored to announce that I am nominating Air Force Lieutenant General Dan’ Razin’ Caine to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. “General Caine is an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a ‘warfighter’ with significant interagency and special operations experience.”
Trump did not provide a reason for Brown’s removal. “He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump said.
The New York Times cited a military official as saying that Brown only learned of his dismissal when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called him at his hotel in El Paso on Friday evening.
The shake-up is a sharp reversal for Trump, who in 2020 nominated Brown as the Air Force’s chief of staff, lauding the historic appointment of the first African-American military service chief. “A Patriot and Great Leader,” Trump said at the time.
The chair of the Joint Chiefs typically remains in place regardless of administration changes, reflecting the nonpartisan nature of the military’s highest advisory position. However, current White House and Pentagon officials said Trump and Hegseth wanted to install their own top military leadership.
Hegseth, who assumed office as defence secretary last month, also announced the dismissal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s first female chief of naval operations, and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. Slife.
“I am also requesting nominations for the positions of chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff,” Hegseth said. “The incumbents in these important roles, Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Gen. James Slife, respectively, have had distinguished careers. We thank them for their service and dedication to our country.”
Hegseth further removed the judge advocates genera-l the top military lawyer-s for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He did not provide an explanation. However, during his Senate confirmation hearing, Hegseth criticized military attorneys for imposing what he described as unnecessary legal restrictions on combat operations, which he argued hindered soldiers’ effectiveness on the battlefield.
The decision to oust Brown is a show of Trump’s dissatisfaction with what he views as a military leadership overly focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Hegseth echoed these concerns, previously stating that generals engaged in DEI programs should be removed.
“First of all, you’ve got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,” Hegseth said during a November appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show. “Either you’re in for warfighting, and that’s it[…]That’s the only litmus test we care about.”
Despite expressing initial optimism about working with Brown during his first day at the Pentagon, Hegseth reportedly excluded the general from key meetings with Trump. The moves signal a broader overhaul of senior military leadership as Trump reshapes the Pentagon to align more closely with his “America First” agenda.
More from World
End of Article