Trump fires top Pentagon officials

In a massive Pentagon shake-up, President Donald Trump fired the nation’s top military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., on Friday. Retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine has been nominated as his replacement.

Typically, the position is not affected by a change in administration.

Shortly after, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the termination of Navy Chief Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman in the role, and Air Force Vice Chief Gen. James Slife.

Hegseth, a vocal critic of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, has vowed to remove leaders who don’t align with warfighting.

The firings raise questions about the Pentagon’s stability and the future of military leadership under President Trump.