Trump Dismisses Joint Chiefs Chairman Amid Military Overhaul

Trump Fires Top US General in Historic Pentagon Shake-Up

On Friday, February 22, 2025, President Donald Trump initiated a significant reshuffle within the U.S. military leadership, including the dismissal of General Charles Q. Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The move, part of an unprecedented overhaul at the Pentagon, also saw the removal of five other senior officers, including several admirals and generals. This shake-up sets the stage for major changes in the U.S. armed forces, including the replacement of military leadership positions traditionally viewed as apolitical.

Trump announced the decision through a post on Truth Social, revealing that he would nominate retired Lieutenant General Dan "Razin" Caine to succeed General Brown, breaking with tradition by selecting someone from retirement for the role. This marked the first time such a choice had been made for the top military post.

The Pentagon will also see the replacement of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy, along with the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. In addition, Trump is set to remove the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force—crucial positions in enforcing military justice.

The move is widely seen as part of a broader shake-up of the Pentagon, which is already anticipating significant personnel changes, including civilian staff dismissals, a revamped military budget, and shifts in military deployments under Trump's "America First" foreign policy agenda. Trump's critics, especially from the Democratic side, have condemned the firings, citing concerns that they undermine the apolitical nature of the U.S. military. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the leading Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed fears that such political decisions would erode trust within the military.

Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts called the actions "un-American, unpatriotic, and dangerous" for both national security and the troops.

Trump's decision follows previous comments during his 2024 presidential campaign where he criticized the military's leadership, referring to certain officers as "woke" and holding them responsible for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. However, the president did not provide an explanation for his decision to replace General Brown specifically.

General Brown, who is only the second Black officer to serve as the president’s top military advisor, had been in office since 2021 and was expected to serve a four-year term through September 2027. He had been on official travel when the announcement was made and had posted images earlier in the day showcasing his visit to troops stationed at the U.S. border with Mexico.

One of the most prominent removals includes Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who made history in 2023 as the first woman to command the U.S. Navy. Franchetti’s appointment had been a surprise, as many Pentagon officials had anticipated Admiral Samuel Paparo’s nomination. However, Paparo was later promoted to lead the U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command.

In an earlier move, Trump also dismissed Admiral Linda Fagan as the head of the U.S. Coast Guard, who had also been the first woman in that role. Further tensions were evident last month when Trump’s Pentagon removed retired Army General Mark Milley’s portrait from the Pentagon walls and revoked his personal security detail and clearance. Milley, who had served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Trump's first term, became a vocal critic after his retirement in 2023 and has since faced multiple threats to his safety.

It remains unclear who will be nominated for the key positions of judge advocates general for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, known for his outspoken views on military leadership, has been critical of military lawyers, claiming they focus more on prosecuting service members than holding bad actors accountable.