In a sweeping and unprecedented shake-up of military leadership on Friday night, President Donald Trump dismissed the top U.S. general just moments before his defense secretary removed both the chief of the Navy and the vice chief of the Air Force.
Trump announced the removal of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, appointing retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John Dan “Razin” Caine as his replacement—an unusual move, as Caine is no longer on active duty and does not hold a four-star rank, according to an Air Force official.
Calling Brown a “fine gentleman” and an “outstanding leader,” Trump hinted at further changes, stating, “I have directed Secretary [of Defense Pete] Hegseth to solicit nominations for five additional high-level positions, which will be announced soon,” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Minutes later, Defense Secretary Hegseth released a statement confirming the dismissal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the chief of the Navy.
The removal of Charles Q. Brown, only the second Black man to serve as the nation’s top general, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, underscores the administration’s stance against diversity and inclusion initiatives, which it has banned across the military and broader government.
Hegseth, who previously criticized Franchetti as a “DEI hire” in his 2024 book, mocked her historic appointment, writing, “If naval operations suffer, at least we can hold our heads high. Because at least we have another first! The first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—hooray.”
On Friday, Hegseth also announced the dismissal of Gen. James Slife, the Air Force vice chief of staff, and signaled further changes by requesting nominations for the Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
“Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting, and winning wars,” Hegseth stated.
The firings had been anticipated for weeks, with speculation swirling around the Pentagon. Rumors of Brown’s impending dismissal gained traction after a formal list of potential removals was recently shared with some Republican lawmakers.
Trump has repeatedly criticized what he calls “woke” military leadership, with Brown being a frequent target of right-wing attacks. Many Pentagon officials openly questioned whether Brown would be removed shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
According to a U.S. defense official, Brown was informed of his dismissal in a phone call from Hegseth on Friday.
Federal law mandates that top military officers be selected from the combatant commands or service chiefs, all of whom hold four-star ranks. However, the president can waive this requirement if deemed “necessary in the national interest.”
On Friday, Trump defended his choice of Caine, calling him a “warfighter” who played a key role in the “complete annihilation of the ISIS caliphate.”
Plan to Replace JAGs Raises Serious Concerns.
The JAGs serve as the military’s top legal authorities, overseeing the military justice system, including the prosecution and defense of U.S. service members in military courts.
Hegseth has been a vocal critic of the Judge Advocates General, referring to them as “jagoffs” in his book. When questioned about the remark during his confirmation hearing, he defended his stance, stating, “It would be a JAG officer who puts his or her own priorities in front of the warfighters—their promotions, their medals—rather than backing those making the tough calls on the front lines.”
Retired military judge Don Christensen, who previously served as the Air Force’s chief prosecutor, called the move to replace the JAGs “extremely concerning.”
“They serve as the conscience of the military and a moral guide for what’s right and wrong,” Christensen said, warning that the decision suggests the administration is seeking “more compliant people in those positions.”
During his first term, Trump controversially intervened in military legal proceedings, granting pardons in high-profile war crimes cases despite opposition from Pentagon leaders. At the time, CNN reported that then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper cautioned Trump that such actions could undermine the integrity of the military justice system.
Hegseth had demanded Brown's dismissal.
Trump announced Brown’s dismissal on the same day he visited the southwest border, a key priority for the Pentagon under the new administration. During his visit, Brown met with the Joint Task Force North, which oversees the military’s border operations.
“Border security has always been vital to protecting our homeland,” Brown wrote on social media shortly before his removal.
A retired four-star general voiced strong dismay over Brown’s ousting, calling it “a tragic and politically motivated decision for our nation.”
Trump and Brown had previously been seen together at the Army-Navy football game in December. During his first term, Trump appointed Brown as Chief of the Air Force, a role he held until former President Joe Biden nominated him as Joint Chiefs Chair in October 2023. Brown’s term was originally set to run through 2027.
Hegseth had also pushed for Brown’s removal, stating just days before Trump selected him to lead the Pentagon, “First of all, you’ve got to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.”
Despite this, the two had regularly met and worked together following Hegseth’s confirmation.
Trump has praised Caine for years.
At the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump recalled meeting Caine during a visit to Iraq, where Caine was serving as deputy commander for U.S. Special Operations in the Middle East and Operation Inherent Resolve, the mission to defeat ISIS.
Trump described Caine as being straight out of “central casting” and claimed he could have ended the ISIS campaign “totally finished in one week.” According to Trump, Caine told him, “They won’t know what the hell hit them, sir.”
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