WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump suddenly fired Air Force CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, a history of a campaign led by his Secretary of Defense Manufacturing fighter pilots and respected leaders who support diversity and equity in all ranks.
Brown's strike, the second black general who served only as chairman, is sure to send a shock wave through the Pentagon. His 16 months were spent in the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.
“I want to thank General Charles for his CQ’Brown for providing 40 years of service to our country, including as the current chairman of our current Chief of Staff. He is an outstanding gentleman and an outstanding leader and I hope he and him family has a bright future,” Trump said on social media.
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After police killing George Floyd, Brown's public support for the Black Lives Matter problem led him to feed the war that the government “wakes” in the military. His strike is the latest turmoil in the Pentagon, which plans to reduce 5,400 civilian trial workers starting next week and determine a $50 billion plan that could redirect those savings to fund Trump's priorities next year.
Trump said he nominated retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan “Racing” Kane as his next chairman. Caine is a professional F-16 pilot who has served in the active and National Guard and most recently the CIA deputy director of military affairs.
Caine's military service includes positions in Iraq's combat roles, special operations posts and some of the most special special visit programs in the Pentagon.
However, he did not legally determine as a prerequisite for this work, including serving as vice chairman, combat commander or service chief. This requirement can be waived if it is “necessary to determine such action in the national interest”.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the firing of two other senior officials in a statement praising Caine and Brown: Naval Operations Chief Lisa Franchetti ( Lisa Franchetti and Air Force General Jim Slife's Chief of Staff.
Franchetti became the second senior female officer to be fired by the Trump administration. Trump fired Coast Guard commander Linda Fagan the day after he was sworn in.
Franchetti is a superficial war officer who has commanded on all levels, leading our Sixth Fleet and the United States Navy South Korea. She is the second woman ever to be promoted to a four-star admiral, and she has made several deployments, including tenure as commander of a naval destroyer and two as commanders of the aircraft carrier strike group.
Prior to becoming deputy chief of staff for the department, the Slife Led Air Force Special Operations Command was deployed to the Middle East and Afghanistan.
“The President and Secretary of Defense should have a general they trust, and the generals that the troops deserve have a general who maintains credibility with the officials we elected and appointed. I am disappointed in this situation,” he told the Associated Press on Friday. But I don't want the results to be different.”
Trump asserted his executive authority in a stronger way during his second term, evacuating most officials in the Biden administration, despite many positions aimed at moving from one administration to another.
Founded in 1949, the Chairman’s role is an advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense, a way to filter all the views of the chief and make it easier to provide this information to the White House without the need for the President to have to contact everyone according to the Atlantic Ocean. A briefing from the Council, written by Major General Arnold Punaro. The role has no actual command.
Trump supported Brown among key members of Congress and held a seemingly friendly meeting with him in mid-December when the two sat each other for a while in the Army-Navi football game.
The speculation was after days after Capitol Hill circulated a list of officials including Brown – but it is worth noting that there was no formal notice sent to the House or the Senate Armed Forces Committee through any formal notice.
Sen. Roger Wicker, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not mention Kane's name in a statement Friday.
“I thank Chairman Brown for providing decades of honorary service to our country,” Wick said. “I am confident that Secretary Heggs and President Trump will select qualified and have key positions for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Successor of ability.”
Congressional Democratic leaders called for the firing of the shooting in a direct attempt to politicize the military.
“A professional, non-political military belongs to civilian governments and supports the constitution rather than political parties, which is crucial to the survival of our democracy,” said Senator Jack Reed, Rhode Island. in a statement late five. Party troops. ”
Brown risked discussing race
Brown's future was questioned at last month's Hergus confirmation hearing. Asked if he would fire Brown, Heggs replied: “Every senior official will review the elite class, standards, lethality and commitment to the legal orders to be given.”
Heggs had targeted Brown before. “First of all, you want a fire, you know, you have to fire, you're the chairman of the United Emirates,” he said frankly in the November podcast. In one of his books, he questioned whether Brown had obtained the job because of the black man.
“Is it because of his skin color? Or is his skill? We will never know, but always doubt – this seems unfair to CQ. However, since he makes racing a car one of his biggest phone cards, it doesn't matter .” Heggs wrote.
On January 27, when he entered the Pentagon on his first day as Secretary of Defense, Heggs was asked if he planned to fire Brown.
“I’m standing with him now,” Heggs said, patting Brown on the back. “Looking forward to working with him.”
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When the protests irritated the nation, Brown posted a video message to the Air Force, titled “This is what I’m thinking.” He described the pressure brought by being one of the few black men in his unit. He recalled his life, using himself as a pilot and an officer “without error”, but still faced prejudice. He said he was questioned even though he wore the same flight suit and wings as other pilots.
Brown's president's road is in trouble – he is one of more than 260 senior officers whose nominations were stalled for months by Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. But when the Senate vote finally took place in September 2023, Brown could easily confirm it with an 89-8 vote.
Colin Powell has been the first black chairman for 30 years since taking office from 1989 to 1993. But while African-Americans make up 17.2% of the 1.3 million current service members, only 9% of the officers are black, but in 2021. Ministry of Defense report.
Brown's service as chairman is historical, as it is that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the United Emirates chairman are both black.
