Significant personnel changes have taken place in the leadership of the U.S. military. President Donald Trump has dismissed General Charles Brown from his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Following this, the new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, removed Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, and General Jim Slife, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
Trump announced Brown’s dismissal on his social media platform Truth Social, thanking the general for more than 40 years of service to the nation and calling him an “outstanding leader and true gentleman.” “I wish him and his family a wonderful future,” Trump wrote.
In the same post, the president revealed Brown’s successor—Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine. Trump described him as an “experienced pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and military leader with extensive interagency and special operations experience.”
Trump highlighted Caine’s key role in the fight against ISIS, stating that he “completed the mission in just a few weeks.” He also criticized Joe Biden for previously overlooking Caine for promotion.
“Together with Pete Hegseth, General Caine and our military will restore peace through strength, put America first, and rebuild our armed forces,” Trump stated. He also instructed Hegseth to nominate candidates for five additional senior military positions.
CNN noted the unusual nature of Trump’s choice: Dan Caine is currently retired and does not hold the rank of a four-star general, which is typically required for such a high-level appointment.