In a surprising move, former US President Donald Trump has dismissed General Charles Q. Brown as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and appointed retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan “Razin” Caine as his replacement, CNN reported.
The decision follows a series of shakeups in military leadership, with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also firing the Chief of the US Navy, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and the Vice Chief of the Air Force.
Trump Praises Caine’s Expertise
Announcing the appointment on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump expressed gratitude for Brown’s service and highlighted Caine’s credentials as a seasoned pilot, national security expert, and entrepreneur.
“Today, I am honored to announce that I am nominating Air Force Lieutenant General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Caine is an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a ‘warfighter’ with significant interagency and special operations experience,” Trump stated.
Trump credited Caine with playing a pivotal role in the rapid defeat of ISIS during his first term, claiming that military experts had predicted a years-long battle, while Caine delivered results in mere weeks.
Military Shake-Up Under Trump’s Leadership
The appointment signals a broader shift in military leadership under Trump, who criticized his predecessor Joe Biden for overlooking Caine for promotion. He also announced plans to fill five additional high-level military positions.
Hegseth reinforced the administration’s commitment to restructuring the armed forces, stating, “Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting, and winning wars.”