Washington DC: President Donald Trump has dismissed General CQ Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as part of a sweeping military leadership shake-up. Gen Brown, the second Black officer in US history to hold the position, was removed along with five other top-ranking officials.
In a social media post, Trump thanked Gen Brown for his over 40 years of service and confirmed further removals, including Chief of Naval Operations Adm Lisa Franchetti—the first woman to lead the Navy—and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Jim Slife.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had previously criticized Gen Brown for prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, justified the firings by stating that the administration is refocusing the military on its core mission of deterring, fighting, and winning wars.
Trump announced that Air Force Lt Gen Dan Caine, a career F-16 pilot and former CIA associate director for military affairs, would be nominated as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Pentagon also unveiled plans to cut its budget and lay off 5,400 probationary employees next week.
Meanwhile, a federal court in Maryland temporarily blocked Trump’s ban on DEI programs, with District Judge Adam Abelson ruling that the directives may violate free speech rights under the US Constitution.
Rumours of Gen Brown’s removal had circulated throughout the week, as his term was set to expire in 2027. The general had gained national attention in 2020 after the killing of George Floyd, when he spoke publicly about the challenges of being one of the few Black officers in the military.
In 2022, he co-signed a memo promoting diversity initiatives aimed at increasing minority officer applicants while adjusting the acceptance rate for white candidates.
The decision follows Trump’s earlier dismissal of the first female Coast Guard commandant, citing an “excessive focus” on diversity initiatives. Before his confirmation, Hegseth had called for firing the Joint Chiefs chairman, arguing that military diversity programs required “course correction.”
MOST READ | Neighbours cancelled again: Iconic Australian soap to end in 2025
