On Friday night, President Donald Trump dismissed General Charles Q. “CQ” Brown Jr. from his position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reflecting a desire to remove military leaders who have supported diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Gen. Brown, who began his four-year term in October 2023, was the second Black general to serve as the military’s top officer.
In a departure from tradition, Trump announced his intention to nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan “Razin” Caine as Brown’s successor. Lt. Gen. Caine, a former F-16 pilot and CIA associate director for military affairs, had recently retired from the military and joined Shield Capital as a venture partner. His nomination breaks with the customary practice of selecting a current service chief or combat commander for the role.
Caine’s military career includes over 150 combat hours and two tours in Iraq. Notably, he was among the pilots who defended Washington, D.C., in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. He also held positions as deputy commanding general for Operation Inherent Resolve and director of special access programs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In January 2025, he joined Shield Capital, a venture capital firm.
Trump met Caine for the first time in December 2018 during a visit to Iraq to oversee Operation Inherent Resolve.
During their initial encounter, Caine assured Trump that ISIS could be crushed swiftly if given the necessary resources—suggesting it could be done in just a week.
Trump later recalled this meeting at the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, describing Caine as bold and enthusiastic. According to Trump, Caine even donned a “Make America Great Again” hat and expressed his support for the President, telling him, “I love you, sir. I think you’re great, sir. I’ll kill for you, sir.”
Friday’s shake-up extended beyond Brown. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General James Slife were also relieved of their duties. Additionally, the top lawyers for the Army, Navy and Air Force were dismissed. The sweeping actions align with the administration’s broader efforts to reshape military leadership and eliminate DEI programs, which Trump has repeatedly criticized as “woke.”
The New York Times has more on the president’s new leadership team, aimed at better reflecting his MAGA agenda:
The decision to fire General Brown, which Mr. Trump announced in a message on Truth Social, reflects the president’s insistence that the military’s leadership is too mired in diversity issues, has lost sight of its role as a combat force to defend the country and is out of step with his “America First” movement.
Joint Chiefs chairmen traditionally remain in place as administrations change, regardless of the president’s political party. But current White House and Pentagon officials said they wanted to appoint their own top leaders.
In a statement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Admiral Franchetti and General Slife “for their service and dedication to our country” and requested nominations for their replacements.
Mr. Hegseth did not say why he was firing the judge advocates general. But in his Senate confirmation hearing last month, he criticized military lawyers for placing needless legal restrictions on soldiers in battle — putting “his or her own priorities in front of the war fighters, their promotions, their medals, in front of having the backs of those making the tough calls on the front lines.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and vocal critic of DEI initiatives, has been instrumental in these changes. In a November podcast, he stated, “First of all, you gotta fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,” referring to Gen. Brown. He accused Brown of implementing “woke” policies alongside other generals.
Upon arriving at the Pentagon for his first day on the job, Hegseth struck a conciliatory tone, expressing a willingness to collaborate with Brown. Despite his prior criticisms, Hegseth told reporters, “I look forward to working with him,” while standing alongside the four-star fighter pilot.
The administration’s overhaul has garnered mixed reactions. Senior Republicans have expressed support, emphasizing the president’s prerogative to select military advisers who align with his vision. Senator Roger Wicker, chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, declared his confidence in Secretary Hegseth and President Trump’s ability to “select a qualified and capable successor.”
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Get in line AP. Why are all these liberal outlets “h*ll bent” on defying things that are positive and in the best interest of America and it’s people? Is the liberal HATE this strong against one man? How sad.
I pray for the day we don’t care if someone is the “second black general”. Just a great American military leader. And when skin color has NO relevance whatsoever. May the day come soon.
The airplanes in the photo are US NAVY FA-18s.