Washington, D.C.: In a sweeping and unprecedented shake-up of U.S. military leadership, President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Air Force General C.Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with five other senior military officers, including top admirals and generals.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced his decision to nominate retired Lieutenant General Dan "Razin" Caine as Brown’s replacement, marking the first time in modern history that a retired officer has been selected to serve as the nation’s highest-ranking military official. The president also confirmed plans to replace Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead a branch of the U.S. military, as Chief of Naval Operations. Additionally, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force and the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force will also be removed from their positions.
The move signals a dramatic shift in the Pentagon’s leadership, coming as Trump’s administration prepares for major restructuring efforts, including a broad overhaul of military budgets, deployments, and strategic priorities under his "America First" foreign policy doctrine.
Military Shake-Up Sparks Political Backlash
The dismissal of Brown—who was serving a four-year term set to end in September 2027—was effective immediately, even before the Senate has confirmed his successor, according to a senior U.S. official.
Democratic lawmakers swiftly condemned the move, warning of its potential impact on military stability and professionalism.
"Firing uniformed leaders as a political loyalty test, or for reasons unrelated to performance, erodes the trust and professionalism essential to our armed forces," said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts called the firings "un-American, unpatriotic, and dangerous for our troops and national security," adding that it represented "the definition of politicizing the military."
Trump’s Criticism of "Woke" Leadership
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump frequently spoke of his intention to remove military leaders he described as "woke" or responsible for what he called the "disastrous" withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. However, he did not provide specific reasons for Brown’s dismissal, aside from a brief acknowledgment of his service.
"I want to thank General Charles 'CQ' Brown for over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish him and his family the best," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Controversy Over Race and Military Policy
Brown, a decorated fighter pilot with extensive command experience in the Middle East and Asia, had previously spoken about his experiences with racial discrimination within the military. Following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, Brown released a widely circulated video in which he shared his perspective as a Black officer in the armed forces.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and military veteran, had reportedly been skeptical of Brown’s leadership prior to assuming his role at the Pentagon. In his 2024 book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, Hegseth questioned whether Brown’s appointment had been influenced by his race rather than his qualifications.
"Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? We'll never know, but always doubt. Since he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards, it doesn’t really matter," Hegseth wrote.
Brown, who was on official travel at the time of his dismissal, had posted on social media just hours earlier about his visit to U.S. troops stationed along the southern border as part of Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
Removal of Female Military Leaders
Trump’s reshuffling of military leadership also included the removal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who made history as the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy. Her appointment by then-President Joe Biden in 2023 had come as a surprise, as Pentagon insiders had initially expected Admiral Samuel Paparo to be selected for the role.
Franchetti is the second high-ranking female officer dismissed by Trump’s administration. On his first day in office, he also removed Admiral Linda Fagan as the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, a position she had held since 2022.
Fallout from Mark Milley’s Security Clearance Revocation
Trump’s Pentagon has also taken action against retired Army General Mark Milley, who previously served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump’s first term and later became a vocal critic of the former president.
Last month, the Pentagon revoked Milley’s personal security clearance and removed his portrait from its walls. Milley, who retired in 2023 under President Biden’s administration, has faced death threats following his outspoken opposition to Trump’s policies.
Future of Military Leadership
The administration has yet to announce replacements for the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy, and Air Force—positions that oversee military justice and legal enforcement within the armed forces.
Hegseth has been an outspoken critic of military legal bodies, arguing that they focus more on prosecuting U.S. troops than on pursuing external threats.
With a series of high-profile dismissals, Trump’s military leadership overhaul signals a decisive shift in Pentagon policy, one that is expected to face intense scrutiny in the weeks ahead.
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