Former President Donald Trump initiated a significant reshuffling of Pentagon leadership over the weekend, dismissing several high-ranking military officers, including Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump announced his intention to nominate retired Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine as Brown's replacement, a move described as unprecedented by Reuters, marking the first time a president has chosen a retired officer to lead the Joint Chiefs.

This decision is part of a broader series of personnel changes within the military's top ranks. Trump also plans to replace Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead a military branch, as the U.S. Navy's top officer. Additionally, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife and the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are being removed from their positions.

Trump expressed gratitude for General Brown's four decades of service, acknowledging him as a "fine gentleman and an outstanding leader." This shakeup aligns with Trump's campaign promise to remove "woke" generals, particularly those he believes were involved in the perceived mismanagement of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump's Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has been vocal about eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within the military, even questioning whether Brown's appointment was based on race, a claim he made in his 2024 book.

The decision to replace Franchetti reverses a 2023 appointment by former President Joe Biden, who chose Franchetti over the expected candidate, Adm. Samuel Paparo. These changes have reportedly caused significant internal disruption at the Pentagon, which is already anticipating substantial cuts to civilian staff.

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the firings as politically motivated, arguing that dismissing military leaders based on political loyalty or factors unrelated to performance undermines trust and professionalism within the armed forces.

The White House has not yet commented on these developments.