President Donald Trump ousted Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown and five senior military leaders on Friday, in an unprecedented purge of top Pentagon leadership, nominating retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to replace Brown despite his inactive status—a break from protocol.
Brown, only the second Black Joint Chiefs, chairman in U.S. history, was abruptly removed before his term’s 2027 end, with no Senate confirmation held yet for Caine. The Pentagon had anticipated mass dismissals, after Reuters reported Trump’s plans to overhaul military leadership post-election.
Democrats condemned the move as politically motivated. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) warned that 'firing uniformed leaders as a loyalty test erodes trust in the military', while Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) called it 'un-American' and 'dangerous'. Trump’s allies argue the shakeups are necessary to implement his vision, including budget cuts and shifted global deployments.
The upheaval extends a pattern of Trump clashing with military norms, having previously criticized military leaders over diversity initiatives and the Afghanistan withdrawal. Critics allege the purge targets officials perceived as insufficiently loyal, while supporters frame it as restoring apolitical discipline. The Senate must now weigh Caine’s nomination amid heightened partisan tensions over military politicization.