President Donald Trump fires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
President Donald Trump fired General CQ Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump also fired Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, and General Jim Slife, Air Force Chief of Staff. Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine has been nominated to fill the role of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Caine as embodying the warfighter ethos and as the exact leader needed for the nominated role. As of the date of the linked article, no replacements for Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Chief of Staff have been identified.
From Military Times:
President Donald Trump on Friday evening fired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that Trump plans to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, who joined the venture capital firm Shield Capital in January, as the nation’s next chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
“General Caine embodies the warfighter ethos and is exactly the leader we need to meet the moment,” Hegseth said. “I look forward to working with him.”
No replacements for Franchetti — the first woman to serve as a service chief — or Slife were announced. Hegseth said he is requesting nominations to fill their roles.
Franchetti and Slife “have had distinguished careers,” Hegseth said. “We thank them for their service and dedication to our country.”
Hegseth also requested nominations for the Army, Navy and Air Force judge advocates general, indicating they too have been fired.
Since Trump’s reelection, rumors have swirled in Washington about Brown’s precarious position and possible firing.
Brown, who was the second Black chairman and the first Black officer to serve as a service chief, became a target for some commentators and lawmakers for his openness to diversity initiatives.
In his statement, Hegseth said Brown “has served with distinction in a career spanning four decades of honorable service. I have come to know him as a thoughtful adviser and salute him for his distinguished service to our country.”
Additional Reading:
Losey, S. (2025, February 21). Trump fires Joint Chiefs chairman, Navy head in DOD leadership purge. Military Times. Link.
Category: Air Force, Big Navy, Big Pentagon, Donald Trump
