Trump dismisses top US generals

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump has dismissed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General CQ Brown, as well as five other admirals and generals in an unprecedented reorganization of the American military leadership.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he would nominate former Lieutenant General Dan Razın Caine to succeed Brown, breaking tradition by pulling someone out of retirement for the first time to become the top military officer.

Trump will also replace the head of the US Navy, a position held by Admiral Lisa Franchetti, as well as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Pentagon announced.

This decision triggers a period of upheaval in the Pentagon, which was already preparing for massive layoffs of civilian personnel, a dramatic budget revision, and a shift in military deployment towards Trump's new foreign policy - America First.

While the civilian leadership of the Pentagon changes from one administration to another, uniformed members of the US armed forces are apolitical, serving the policies of both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Brown became the top military officer in October 2023 and was serving a four-year term that was set to expire in September 2027.

A US official said Brown was dismissed immediately before the Senate confirmed his successor.

Democratic lawmakers condemned the decision by Republican Trump.

- Dismissing uniformed leaders as a kind of test of political loyalty or for reasons related to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance undermines the trust and professionalism that our members need to achieve their missions - said the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed.

Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, said the dismissals were "un-American, unpatriotic, and dangerous for our troops and our national security".

- This is the definition of politicizing our military - he said.

Trump did not explain his decision to replace Brown.

- I want to thank General Charles CQ Brown for his service to our country for over 40 years, including in our current position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Trump wrote.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and military veteran, was skeptical of Brown before he took over the defense with a broad plan that includes eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the military.

In his 2024 book "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free," Hegseth questioned whether Brown would have gotten the job if he wasn't Black.

- Was it because of his skin color? Or his skills? We will never know, but we always suspect - which at first glance seems unfair to CQ - he wrote.

A former fighter pilot and only the second African American officer to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Brown shared his experiences in an emotional video released online after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Hours before Trump's announcement, Brown's official X account posted photos of his meeting with troops on the US border with Mexico.

- Border security has always been key to defending our homeland. As we deal with unprecedented security challenges, we will ensure that our troops at the border have everything they need - he said in a post on X.

Brown's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.