Joint Chiefs of Staff, top military officers relieved of duties

President Donald Trump, in his role as Commander-in-Chief, fired Air Force General CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on February 21.

General Brown, a fighter pilot and respected officer, was only the second Black general to serve as Chairman, having served 16 months in the role. During his tenure, his job had been spent with the war in Ukraine, which just marked its 3rd year anniversary since Russia invaded it, as well as the expanded conflict in the Middle East.

“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump posted on social media.

His dismissal comes as the latest disruption at the Pentagon, which plans to cut 5,400 civilian probationary workers and identify $50 billion in programs that could be cut next year to redirect those savings to fund Trump’s priorities.

Trump has named retired Air Force Lt. General Dan “Razin” Caine to be his nominee for the next chairman. General Caine is a career F-16 pilot who served on active duty and in the National Guard, and his military service includes combat roles in Iraq and special operations postings, and most recently served as the associate director for military affairs at the CIA, according to his military biography.

However, Gen. Caine has not had key assignments identified in law as prerequisites for the job, including serving as either the vice chairman, a combatant commander or a service chief, although that requirement could be waived if the “president determines such action is necessary in the national interest.”

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the firings of two additional senior officers: Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force General. Jim Slife.

Adm. Franchetti is the second top female military officer to be fired by the Trump administration, after Trump fired Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan back in January.

A surface warfare officer, Franchetti commanded at all levels, heading the U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She was the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral, serving multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander.

Gen. Slife led Air Force Special Operations Command prior to becoming the service’s vice chief of staff and had deployed to the Middle East and Afghanistan.