PENTAGON SHAKEUP: Trump fires Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and other top military officials
By bellecarter // 2025-02-25
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  • President Donald Trump abruptly fired Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with five other senior Department of Defense officials, a move that deviates from the norm of maintaining military leadership stability across presidential transitions.
  • Trump nominated retired USAF Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to replace Brown, highlighting Caine's combat experience and leadership in the fight against ISIS while criticizing former President Joe Biden for not promoting Caine.
  • The firings extended to the top naval, air force and legal officers, reflecting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's criticism of military lawyers and his opposition to "woke" ideology and DEI initiatives within the military.
  • The shakeup has reignited debates about the role of politics in military leadership, with Trump and Hegseth arguing for a focus on warfighting capabilities, while critics warn of the potential erosion of the military's nonpartisan tradition.
President Donald Trump on Friday, Feb. 21, ousted the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., along with five other senior Department of Defense officials. The abrupt firings, which include top naval, air force and legal officers, come as Trump seeks to realign the military with his policy priorities, a decision that has been widely criticized as a politicization of the armed forces. The decision has drawn immediate backlash from the left, with Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) warning, "A professional, apolitical military that is subordinate to the civilian government and supportive of the Constitution rather than a political party is essential to the survival of our democracy." (Related: Defense stocks tumble after Trump proposes military spending cuts, while European defense firms surge.) To replace Brown, Trump nominated retired USAF Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine, a choice that further underscores the unconventional nature of the move. Caine, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a seasoned F-16 pilot, has been credited with 150 combat hours and two tours in Iraq. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) associate director for military affairs, where he was involved in several classified operations. In an announcement on  Truth Social, Trump praised Caine's leadership in the fight against ISIS. "During my first term, Razin was instrumental in the complete annihilation of the ISIS caliphate. It was done in record-setting time, a matter of weeks. Many so-called military 'geniuses' said it would take years to defeat ISIS. General Caine, on the other hand, said it could be done quickly and he delivered," Trump said. Trump also criticized his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for not recognizing Caine's potential. "Despite being highly qualified and respected to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the previous administration, General Caine was passed over for promotion by Sleepy Joe Biden. But not anymore!"

Expanded purge and underlying tensions

The firings extended beyond Brown. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a statement confirming the removal of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff James Slife and the judge advocates general (JAG) of the Army, Navy and Air Force. No official reasons were provided for the removal of the top military lawyers, but the action follows Hegseth's repeated criticism of what he calls unwarranted restrictions on battlefield conduct. Hegseth has been vocal about his belief that military lawyers often prioritize their own agendas over the needs of combat personnel. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Hegseth stated, "Military lawyers put his or her own priorities in front of the warfighters, their promotions, their medals, in front of having the backs of those making the tough calls on the front lines." The broader context of these purges is rooted in Hegseth's and Trump's opposition to what they see as a "woke" ideology within the military. Hegseth, in his book "War on Warriors," has criticized Brown for emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. He questioned whether Brown's appointment was based on merit or skin color. Trump himself had nominated Brown to become the Air Force chief of staff in 2020, noting that Brown would be the first African American to hold the position. In November, Hegseth called for the firing of Brown and others involved in DEI efforts. "First of all, you've got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs... But any general that was involved – general, admiral, whatever – that was involved in any of the DEI woke shit has got to go. Either you're in for warfighting and that's it. That's the only litmus test we care about," Hegseth said. Trump.news has more related stories. Watch the video below that talks about Trump limiting transgender ideology in the U.S. military. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com NYTimes.com TruthSocial.com Brighteon.com
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