In a major shake-up in US military leadership, President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown. Additionally, Trump announced plans to replace five other high-level officials, marking an unprecedented upheaval in Pentagon leadership.
Trump announced via a post on Truth Social, stating that he would nominate retired Lieutenant General Dan “Razin” Caine as Brown’s successor. Caine, a former F-16 pilot, previously served as associate director of military affairs for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Additional military firings
The shake-up extends beyond Brown’s removal. Trump’s administration will also replace the head of the US Navy, currently, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, as well as the Air Force vice chief of staff and the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The changes come as the Pentagon braces for major policy shifts, including potential budget overhauls, restructuring of military deployments, and elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been sceptical of Brown, has openly questioned whether his appointment was based on merit or race.
Brown, who took office in October 2023, was expected to serve until September 2027. Trump did not clarify whether Brown would remain in his role until a Senate confirmation of his successor. In his statement, Trump thanked Brown for his four decades of service, calling him a “fine gentleman and an outstanding leader.”
Brown, a former fighter pilot and only the second Black officer to hold the role, was travelling when the announcement was made. Just hours earlier, his official X account had shared images of him meeting with troops at the US-Mexico border.
(With Reuters inputs)