Trump Fires Joint Chiefs Chair, Taps Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan ‘Razin’ Caine As Replacement

President Donald Trump fired Air Force Gen. Charles Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday and tapped retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to replace him.

Trump announced the move on social media, ousting Brown, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, after 16 months in the role.

“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump said.

In the same post, Trump announced his nomination of Cane, who the president credited as being “instrumental in the complete annihilation of the ISIS caliphate.” Trump added that Biden “passed over” the “highly qualified and respected” Cane for chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

“But not anymore!” Trump said. “Alongside Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Caine and our military will restore peace through strength, put America First, and rebuild our military.”

Trump added that Defense Secretary Hegseth would “solicit nominations for five additional high level positions,” signaling more senior positions to turn over, as well.

After Trump’s post on social media, Hegseth made a statement from the Pentagon that he is looking for replacements for Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief Gen. James Slife.

“I am also requesting nominations for the positions of Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff. The incumbents in these important roles, Admiral Lisa Franchetti and General James Slife, respectively, have had distinguished careers. We thank them for their service and dedication to our country,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth had previously said in a podcast appearance in November that Brown should be fired because of his focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the military. Hegseth has been adamant that social justice and engineering practices in the military corrode the service’s core function of warfighting.

Brown and Franchetti had, in part, been celebrated in their elevations to their former positions because of their identities. Brown was the second black person to chair the Joint Chiefs; Franchetti was the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs, according to Politico.