President Donald Trump has removed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, along with several other top military officers in a significant shakeup of Pentagon leadership.
Trump made the announcement on social media, stating that he would nominate retired Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to replace Brown as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the highest-ranking military officer.
A report from Reuters described Trump’s actions as “unprecedented,” as this is the first instance of a president recalling a retired military officer to lead the Joint Chiefs.
These changes are part of a series of recent alterations Trump has made to top military officials, including replacing the U.S. Navy’s top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and removing other key figures from the Air Force and Army.
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President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump has been vocal about his intention to remove what he calls “woke” generals from the military’s top positions, particularly those he blames for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has also been critical of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the military, even questioning whether Brown’s race influenced his appointment as the top military officer.
“Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? We’ll never know, but always doubt – which on its face seems unfair to CQ. But since he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards, it doesn’t really much matter,” Hegseth wrote in his 2024 book.
Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown (Joint Chiefs of Staff)
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This move to replace Franchetti contradicts a decision made by former President Joe Biden in 2023 when he chose Franchetti over Adm. Samuel Paparo for the position of Navy’s top officer.
According to the Reuters report, Trump’s actions have caused disruption at the Pentagon, where the Defense Department was already anticipating significant cuts to its civilian workforce.
These changes have drawn criticism from Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who described the firings as “political.”
Adm. Lisa Franchetti (U.S. Navy)
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“Firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our service members require to achieve their missions,” Reed told Reuters.
The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
