Trump Names New Joint Chiefs Chairman

B MANOGNA REDDY's profile image
3 min read
US President Donald Trump speaks during a Black History Month event at the White House. Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Image credits: Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

President Donald Trump has named a new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, breaking a long US tradition of retaining previous appointments to the country's top military post. Trump nominated former Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine to succeed General Charles Q. Brown in the post, which is directly subordinate to the US Secretary of Defense. The president thanked incumbent General Charles Q. Brown for 40 years of service, including in his most recent position, and wished him and his family a "great future" in a post on his Truth Social platform.

In previous changes of government, the incumbent chairman was usually retained. According to the New York Times, Brown was only the second African-American to hold the top job in uniform. Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had reportedly said shortly after his own nomination that Brown should be dismissed because of his focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the military. The administration dismissed six top Pentagon executives, including Navy chief Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to head the US Navy.

Trump praised Caine on Truth Social as an "accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a 'warfighter' with significant interagency and special operations experience." In the fight against the Islamic State terrorist militia in Iraq, Caine had "delivered" and ensured that the so-called caliphate was annihilated in record time, Trump wrote. Despite his high qualifications, Caine was passed over by the previous administration under Joe Biden when it came to filling senior posts, according to Trump.

As a retired soldier, Caine would have to be called back into service to take up the position, according to the Times. The US Senate also still has to confirm the appointment. Caine, who is known by his middle name Dan, worked for three years at the Central Intelligence Agency until December 2024 and helped lead the fight against the Islamic State from Iraq. The following are key points about the nomination: * Caine's nomination breaks a long US tradition of retaining previous appointments to the country's top military post * The US Senate still has to confirm the appointment * Caine would have to be called back into service to take up the position * Trump praised Caine's experience in interagency and special operations * The administration dismissed six top Pentagon executives, including Navy chief Lisa Franchetti

The nomination of Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has significant implications for the US military and its policies. The change in leadership may lead to a shift in focus and priorities, potentially affecting the military's approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. The confirmation process by the US Senate will be closely watched, and the outcome may have far-reaching consequences for the US military and its leadership.

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