President Donald Trump decisively dismissed Air Force Gen. CQ Brown from his role as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, removing a groundbreaking fighter pilot and respected officer as part of an initiative to purge the military of leaders advocating for diversity and equity within its ranks. Brown’s removal, as only the second Black general to hold the chairman position, is certain to create ripples throughout the Pentagon. His tenure of 16 months was largely focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
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“I want to extend my gratitude to General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his more than 40 years of service to our country, including his tenure as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a distinguished gentleman and a remarkable leader; I wish nothing but the best for him and his family,” Trump expressed on social media.
Brown’s vocal support for Black Lives Matter following the police killing of George Floyd had made him a target in the administration’s battle against “wokeism” within the military. His dismissal is part of a larger turmoil at the Pentagon, which is set to cut 5,400 civilian probationary positions starting next week and evaluate $50 billion in programs for potential termination to reallocate those resources towards Trump’s priorities.
Trump announced his intention to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine as the new chairman. Caine is an experienced F-16 pilot with years of service both on active duty and in the National Guard, and he most recently served as the associate director for military affairs at the CIA, according to his biography.
Caine’s military background includes combat experience in Iraq, specialized operations assignments, and roles in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs. However, he lacks key foundational assignments required by law for the role, such as serving as vice chairman, a combatant commander, or a service chief. That requirement could be waived should the “president determine such action is necessary in the national interest.”
Additional Pentagon Firings
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while commending both Caine and Brown, announced the termination of two more senior officers: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Jim Slife.
Franchetti is now the second leading female military officer ousted by the Trump administration, following the dismissal of Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan just one day after Trump’s inauguration.
A seasoned surface warfare officer, Franchetti has held command positions at every level, overseeing the U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She was the second woman ever to reach the rank of four-star admiral and has completed multiple deployments, including commanding a naval destroyer and leading two aircraft carrier strike groups.
Slife previously commanded Air Force Special Operations and had deployed to both the Middle East and Afghanistan.
In his second term, Trump has exercised his executive authority more vigorously, replacing many officials from the Biden administration, despite the understanding that many of these roles are meant to transition smoothly from one administration to the next.
Established in 1949, the role of chairman serves as an advisor to the president and secretary of defense, designed to consolidate the perspectives of the service chiefs and efficiently relay that information to the White House without needing the president to contact each military branch separately, per an Atlantic Council briefing authored by retired Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro. The position does not have formal command authority.
Trump’s decision came despite bipartisan support for Brown among key congressional members and a seemingly amicable interaction between them at the Army-Navy football game in mid-December.
Sen. Roger Wicker, the GOP chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not mention Caine in his remarks on Friday. “I express my gratitude to Chairman Brown for his decades of honorable service to our nation,” Wicker stated. “I trust that Secretary Hegseth and President Trump will find a qualified and effective successor for the vital role of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Brown’s Risk in Addressing Race
Brown’s future became uncertain during Hegseth’s confirmation hearing last month. In response to inquiries regarding his potential termination, Hegseth remarked, “Every single senior officer will be evaluated based on meritocracy, standards, lethality, and their commitment to lawful orders.”
Hegseth had previously targeted Brown in a podcast last November, suggesting, “First of all, you gotta fire the chairman of Joint Chiefs.” Furthermore, in one of his books, he questioned whether Brown was appointed due to his race. “Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? We’ll never know, but always doubt — which is inherently unfair to CQ. However, since he has frequently referenced his racial identity, it’s somewhat irrelevant,” Hegseth wrote.
Upon starting his role as defense chief on January 27, Hegseth was directly asked about Brown’s job security. “I’m standing with him right now,” Hegseth remarked, patting Brown on the back. “I look forward to collaborating with him.”
Brown, who spent Friday visiting troops at the U.S.-Mexico border, gained attention for his outspoken comments on the death of George Floyd in 2020. Aware of the risks, discussions with his family motivated him to speak out.
During national protests, Brown shared a video message with the Air Force titled, “Here’s What I’m Thinking About.” He articulated the unique pressures he faced as one of the few Black men in his unit, reflecting on his lifelong push for perfection in his duties as a pilot and officer, amidst ongoing bias. He recounted instances of being questioned about his abilities, despite wearing the same uniform and insignia as all other pilots.
Brown’s journey to the chairmanship was fraught with challenges — he was among over 260 senior military officers whose nominations were postponed for months by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. However, he was confirmed by the Senate with a 89-8 vote in September 2023.
It had been three decades since Colin Powell served as the first Black chairman, from 1989 to 1993. While African Americans constituted 17.2% of the 1.3 million active-duty service members, only 9% of officers identified as Black, according to a 2021 Defense Department report.
Brown made history as the first chairman who served alongside a Black defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, marking a significant milestone in diversity.
