President Donald Trump fired General Charles “CQ” Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, less than two years into his four-year term.
This is a part of shake-up of the armed forces’ leadership, which has been marked by sweeping layoffs of federal workers and moves to dismantle government institutions just a month into Trump’s second term.
Brown, who was nominated to the top military role by former President Joe Biden, became the second Black person to hold the position. Trump thanked Brown for his over 40 years of service, describing him as “a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader.”
Trump nominated Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine to replace Brown. Caine is an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and “warfighter” with significant interagency and special operations experience.
In another major change, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that he was seeking a replacement for Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the top US Navy officer. Hegseth also removed the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, who oversee the military justice system.
The firings have sparked controversy, with some critics arguing that they are part of a broader effort to dismantle diversity and inclusion initiatives in the military.
Hegseth had previously advocated for Brown’s firing, saying that any top officers involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives “have got to go.”
