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In a historic overhaul of military leadership on Friday night, President Donald Trump terminated the highest-ranking US general immediately after his defense secretary dismissed the chief of the Navy and several others.
During the announcement, Trump referred to Joint Chiefs Chairman Charles Q. Brown as a “fine gentleman” and an “outstanding leader.” Notably, Brown is only the second Black individual to hold the chairman position and was the first Black service chief in US military history when he became Air Force chief in 2020.
Trump hinted at upcoming firings in his announcement on Truth Social. “Finally, I have also directed Secretary [Pete] Hegseth to seek nominations for five additional high-level positions, which will be revealed soon,” he stated.
Shortly after, Hegseth released a statement announcing the dismissal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Navy chief and the first woman on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In his upcoming 2024 book “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” Hegseth referred to Franchetti as a “DEI hire.”
“If naval operations suffer, we can at least take pride in having another first! The first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — hooray,” he commented.
Hegseth also announced the dismissal of Gen. James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force, and indicated he would be “requesting nominations” for replacements for the Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
“Under President Trump, we aim to establish new leadership that will recommit our military to its primary goal of deterring, fighting, and winning wars,” Hegseth stated on Friday night.
Hegseth has previously criticized the military’s Judge Advocates General (JAG), referring to them as “jagoffs” in his book. When asked to elaborate during a recent confirmation hearing, Hegseth explained, “It’s the JAG Officers who prioritize their own promotions and medals over supporting those on the front lines.”
The JAGs are the military’s leading lawyers who enforce military law, representing and prosecuting service members in military courts.
The expected firings had been rumored for weeks, with discussions about potential dismissals circulating in the Pentagon. Speculation intensified when a formal list was presented to several Republican lawmakers.
Trump has frequently expressed discontent with what he considers “woke” generals and officers, and Brown has been a target of right-wing critique. Many within the Pentagon openly speculated whether Brown would be ousted soon after Trump took office.
Yet, Trump and Brown appeared together at the Army-Navy football game in December, possibly indicating a thaw in relations. During his first term, Trump appointed Brown to lead the Air Force, a role he maintained until Biden nominated him as Joint Chiefs Chair in October 2023, with Brown’s term expected to end in 2027.
Hegseth has also advocated for Brown’s removal. In November, shortly before Trump appointed Hegseth to head the Pentagon, he stated, “First and foremost, you need to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.”
However, the two have collaborated regularly since Hegseth’s confirmation.
Trump revealed the termination of the top US general on the same day Brown visited the southwestern border, a key focus area for the Pentagon under the new administration. Brown engaged with the Joint Task Force North, which oversees military operations at the border.
“Border security has always been crucial to our homeland’s defense,” Brown stated on social media shortly before he was dismissed.
On social media, Trump announced his intention to nominate Air Force Lt. Gen. John Dan “Razin” Caine as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, an unusual decision since Caine is retired and does not hold a 4-star general rank, according to an Air Force official.
Trump described Caine as a “warfighter” who played a crucial role in the total defeat of the ISIS caliphate.
Federal law mandates that the president select top military officers from combatant commands or military service chiefs, all of whom must hold 4-star positions. Nevertheless, the law permits the President to waive this requirement if “such action is necessary in the national interest.”
Trump has praised Caine for many years, dating back to his first term. During the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump recounted meeting Caine in Iraq while he was serving as the deputy commander for US Special Operations in the Middle East, overseeing Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS.
Trump remarked that Caine could have completed the campaign against ISIS “totally finished in one week.” According to Trump, Caine told him, “They won’t know what the hell hit them, sir.”
This story has been updated with additional developments.
