Trump Fires Top Pentagon General in Shakeup

THE NEWS

President Donald Trump has dismissed Air Force General Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. from his post as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, effective February 21, 2025.

Trump announced this decision as part of a broader shake-up of U.S. military leadership aimed at, in his words, “restoring a warrior culture.”

General Brown, who assumed the position in October 2023, becomes the first Joint Chiefs chairman in decades to be relieved mid-term.

Administration officials say Trump wants new leaders who will focus on deterring and defeating adversaries rather than, in his view, “political” and "woke" priorities.

TIMELINE

October 1, 2023 – Brown Takes Over

• General CQ Brown Jr. is sworn in as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Joe Biden, with a four-year term slated to end in 2027.

November 5, 2024 – Trump Wins Election

• Donald Trump clinches a second term as President after a campaign promising to remove what he calls “woke” senior military leaders.

November 13, 2024 – Hegseth Named for Defense

• Trump names Army veteran and media commentator Pete Hegseth as his pick for Secretary of Defense, signaling a plan to purge top brass who support diversity and inclusion policies.

Late November 2024 – Shake-Up Rumors Circulate

• Reports surface that Trump’s transition team has compiled a list of top military officials to be replaced, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

January 20, 2025 – Trump’s Inauguration Day

• Trump is sworn in and immediately orders the removal of multiple high-ranking officers, including Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan.

Mid-February 2025 – Internal Pentagon Tensions

• Sources indicate a growing rift between Brown and Secretary Hegseth, with both men disagreeing over budget priorities and readiness measures.

February 21, 2025 – Trump Fires Brown

• The White House announces General Brown’s dismissal, and Trump says he will soon nominate a new chairman who shares his vision of refocusing on “core warfighting.”

REACTIONS

Donald Trump: The President thanks Brown for his service but asserts that “we need a leaner, meaner fighting force, and we must have leadership that will deliver exactly that.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: Hegseth applauds Trump’s decision, declaring, “We are removing distractions and putting warfighters in charge to keep America safe.”

Gen. James Slife, Air Force Vice Chief: Slife, who also tendered his resignation, notes that “leadership changes are part of the process, and we all serve at the pleasure of the President.”

Sen. Roger Wicker: Wicker, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expresses confidence the shake-up will “rejuvenate our military posture,” even as he praises Brown’s record.

Sen. Jack Reed: The committee’s ranking Democrat criticizes the move as “unprecedented politicization of the nation’s highest military office,” warning of damage to the Pentagon’s integrity.

WHAT’S NEXT

Trump, in a Truth Social post, said he was nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to take Brown’s place. “General Caine is an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a “warfighter” with significant interagency and special operations experience.”

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Adm. Christopher Grady, will serve as acting chairman until the Senate confirms Trump’s replacement.