Trump fires top US general CQ Brown in shake-up at Pentagon

In a significant move, US President Donald Trump has dismissed General CQ Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, marking a major shift in the military's top leadership. This decision comes as part of a broader shake-up within the Pentagon, where Trump has also announced the replacement of five other high-ranking military officials. In a social media post, Trump expressed his gratitude to General Brown for his over 40 years of dedicated service to the nation. General Brown, who made history as the second black officer to hold this prestigious position, was responsible for advising both the president and the secretary of defense on crucial national security matters. The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, had previously criticized General Brown for his emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the military, suggesting that this focus was detrimental to the armed forces. On the same day, Hegseth revealed the firings of two additional senior officers: Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the US Navy, and General Jim Slife, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Notably, all three officers who were removed from their positions had been appointed by former President Joe Biden. Hegseth stated, 'Under President Trump, we are implementing new leadership that will prioritize our military's core mission of deterring, fighting, and winning wars. ' In light of these changes, Trump has announced his intention to nominate Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine as the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Caine, a seasoned F-16 pilot, previously served as the CIA's associate director for military affairs. During a political conference last year, Trump reminisced about first meeting General Caine in Iraq, describing him as looking better than any movie star. In the same address, Trump praised the US military but criticized its leadership for being 'woke at the top. ' Just hours before Trump's announcement, General Brown was visiting troops stationed at the southern US border, and speculation had been circulating regarding his potential removal, despite his term being set to last until 2027. General Brown gained national attention in 2020 when he spoke out about racial issues following the tragic death of George Floyd. He shared a heartfelt video message with the US Air Force, discussing the unique pressures he faced as one of the few black men in his unit, including doubts about his qualifications. In 2022, while serving as the chief of staff of the Air Force, General Brown co-signed a memo outlining diversity goals aimed at increasing the number of minority officer applicants while adjusting the selection criteria for white candidates. Colin Powell was the first black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving from 1989 to 1993. One of Trump's initial actions after taking office last month was to dismiss the first female commandant of the Coast Guard, citing an 'excessive focus' on diversity. In November, prior to his confirmation, Hegseth stated on a podcast that the military faced numerous challenges, including diversity initiatives, which he believed needed to be corrected. He emphasized that the first step should be to remove the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Additionally, the Pentagon announced on the same day that it would be reducing its budget. Meanwhile, a federal court in Maryland temporarily blocked Trump from enforcing bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, with District Judge Adam Abelson ruling that these directives could potentially violate free speech rights protected by the US Constitution.