Trump fires US Army commander, appoints 'ISIS eliminator' as replacement
Photo: Trump administration begins Pentagon personnel changes (wikimedia.org)
US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have dismissed key army commanders. John Caine, who does not hold the rank of a four-star general, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CNN informs.
The publication reported that on the evening of Friday, February 21, US President Donald Trump dismissed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown.
The president described Brown as a "fine gentleman" and an "outstanding leader," hinting at further dismissals.
"Finally, I have also directed Secretary [of Defense Pete] Hegseth to solicit nominations for five additional high level positions, which will be announced soon," Trump wrote on his social platform, Truth Social.
Dismissals in the Navy and Air Force
Minutes after Trump's announcement about Brown's removal, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a statement confirming the dismissal of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti.
"The removal of the second Black man to serve as America’s most senior general and the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff appears to send a strong signal from an administration that has outlawed diversity and inclusion efforts across the military and wider government," CNN reported.
Hegseth also announced the dismissal of US Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General James Slife. He further stated that he is "requesting nominations" for the positions of Judge Advocate General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
"Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars," Hegseth said.
Who will lead the US Army?
In place of Brown, Trump has appointed Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine. This is an unusual decision, as Kane is currently retired and does not hold the four-star general rank typically required for the position.
During the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump mentioned that he first met Kane during a visit to Iraq. At the time, Kane was deputy commander of US Special Operations Forces in the Middle East and played a key role in Operation Inherent Resolve — the campaign to defeat ISIS.
According to Trump, Kane "central casting" and could have the campaign to eliminate ISIS "totally finished in one week." The president described Kane as a "warfighter" who played a significant role in the total destruction of the ISIS caliphate.
Personnel decisions raise concerns
A prominent retired four-star general expressed serious concern over the dismissal of Charles Brown, calling it "sadly political and tragic for our nation."
Don Christensen, a retired military judge who served as the chief prosecutor for the Air Force, noted that such personnel decisions create the impression that the administration "wants more compliant people in those positions."
The publication reminded readers that the dismissals had been anticipated for weeks, with rumors circulating in the Pentagon about upcoming changes. However, discussions about Brown’s removal and others gained momentum after an official list was recently shared with some Republican lawmakers.
As CNN noted, federal law requires the president to select top military officers from combat commands or military service chiefs holding so-called "four-star" positions (general or admiral - ed.). However, the law also allows the president to waive this requirement if "such actions are necessary in the national interest."
It is worth noting that Hegseth has instructed department leadership to develop plans for defense budget cuts over the next five years.
Additionally, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), will also oversee reductions in Pentagon funding.
