A significant shake-up in the US military leadership has taken place, with President Donald Trump dismissing the highest-ranking US general, shortly after his Defense Minister announced the dismissal of the head of the US Marine Corps and the vice chief of the Air Force, according to CNN.
Trump has announced that he will replace General Charles Quinton Brown Jr., the Chief of Staff of the US Armed Forces, with retired Air Force General John Dan “Razin” Caine. This move is considered an extraordinary step, as Caine is not a four-star general and is in retirement. During Trump’s first term, Caine led an operation in Iraq against the Islamic State.
Trump referred to the dismissed Brown as a “fine gentleman” and an “outstanding leadership figure” while hinting at future dismissals. “I’ve also instructed Defense Minister Pete Hegseth to obtain nominations for five additional high-ranking positions, which will be announced soon” he wrote on his platform Truth Social.
Earlier, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth announced the dismissal of two more high-ranking military officials. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the head of the Marine Corps and General Jim Slife, the deputy chief of the Air Force, must leave their positions.
The dismissal of Brown, who was the second black general to hold the position, is likely to send shockwaves through the Pentagon, according to Associated Press. Brown’s public support of Black Lives Matter after the murder of George Floyd by the police had made him a target for the Trump administration’s fight against “wokeness” in the military, the news agency said.