President Donald Trump fired the top military officer in the country, nominating a retired Air Force general to take over as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Charles Q. “CQ” Brown Jr. was one of several high-ranking military officials fired Friday evening.
Trump announced the Pentagon shakeup via a post on his social media account on Truth Social. He thanked Brown for his decades of service, saying “He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family.” Brown’s term as chairman was set to end in 2027.
In that same post, Trump said that he intends to nominate Lt. Gen. John Dan Caine as Brown’s replacement. Caine, a former Air Force F-16 fighter pilot, previously served as Associate Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency. He also served as a member of the National Guard from 2009-2016. Caine retired in 2024.
“General Caine is an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a ‘warfighter’ with significant interagency and special operations experience,” Trump wrote.
Caine was with the 121st Fighter Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base on Sept. 11, 2001 and patrolled the skies in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks that day. His awards include a Distinguished Flying Cross.
In his own statement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Brown a “thoughtful advisor” and described Caine as someone who “embodies the warfighter ethos.” Hegseth had previously criticized Brown prior to becoming Secretary of Defense, although the two worked together since Hegseth took over the department.
Brown was appointed to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President Joe Biden in 2023. Another former fighter pilot, he became the head of the U.S. Air Force in 2020. Earlier today he was visiting U.S. troops deployed to the southern border.
Hegseth announced that Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, and Gen. James Slife, the Air Force’s number two officer, were also being removed from their roles.
“I am also requesting nominations for the positions of Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff,” Hegseth wrote in his statement. “The incumbents in these important roles, Admiral Lisa Franchetti and General James Slife, respectively, have had distinguished careers. We thank them for their service and dedication to our country.”
Hegseth added that the Defense Department is also looking for nominations to serve as the Judge Advocates General — the top judicial position — for the departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
This is a developing story.
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