President Donald Trump has removed Air Force General CQ Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and five other senior military leaders in a historic overhaul of U.S. military leadership.
Trump announced the shake-up on Truth Social, revealing his intent to nominate retired Lieutenant-General Dan “Razin” Caine as Brown’s successor. Caine, a former F-16 pilot with extensive combat experience and a background at the CIA, would be the first retired officer appointed as the nation’s top military adviser.
Recalling a past encounter with Caine in Iraq, Trump described him as a “warfighter” and praised his experience in national security and special operations. The president’s decision extends beyond Brown, also replacing Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy, along with the Air Force vice-chief of staff and the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The sudden leadership changes have sparked widespread debate. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Jack Reed and Representative Seth Moulton, criticized the move as politically motivated. Reed warned that dismissing military leaders for reasons unrelated to performance undermines military professionalism, while Moulton condemned the firings as “un-American” and detrimental to national security.
While the Pentagon’s civilian leadership traditionally changes with new administrations, uniformed military leaders typically serve apolitically. Brown, the second Black officer to hold the Joint Chiefs’ top position, was midway through a four-year term scheduled to end in 2027. However, Trump’s decision was effective immediately, pending Senate confirmation of Caine.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, has expressed skepticism about Brown’s qualifications. In his 2024 book, The War on Warriors, Hegseth questioned whether Brown’s appointment was influenced by his race. Brown, a former fighter pilot with commands in Asia and the Middle East, has publicly discussed his experiences with racial discrimination during his military career.
This leadership overhaul marks the latest move in Trump’s broader agenda to reshape the military, including plans to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Trump’s administration previously dismissed Admiral Linda Fagan, the first woman to lead the U.S. Coast Guard, on his first day in office. Last month, the Pentagon also revoked the security clearance and personal security detail of retired General Mark Milley, a former Joint Chiefs chairman who had become a vocal Trump critic.
With these sweeping changes, the Pentagon faces a period of uncertainty as Trump continues to reshape U.S. military leadership in alignment with his “America First” foreign policy.
