CQ Brown: Trump fires top US general CQ Brown in shake-up at Pentagon

US President Donald Trump has fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers CQ Brown, the highest-ranking officer in the nation, as a part of a serious shake-up of top army management.

“I wish to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our nation,” Trump posted on social media. He stated 5 different top officers have been additionally being changed.

Gen Brown was the second black officer to carry the publish, the holder of which advises each the president and the secretary of defence on nationwide safety.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had beforehand stated that Gen Brown ought to be fired due to his “woke” concentrate on variety, fairness and inclusion programmes in the army.

Afterward Friday, Hegseth introduced the firings of two further senior officers: Chief of Naval Operations Adm Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Workers of the Air Drive Gen Jim Slife.

Adm Franchetti was the primary girl to guide the US Navy.

All three top officers eliminated on Friday have been appointed by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.

Hegseth stated in a press release: “Below President Trump, we’re placing in place new management that may focus our army on its core mission of deterring, combating and successful wars.”

Trump stated he would nominate Air Drive Lt Gen Dan Caine – a profession F-16 pilot who most not too long ago served as CIA affiliate director for army affairs – as the brand new chairman of the joint chiefs of workers.

Final yr, at the Conservative Political Motion Convention, Trump recalled first assembly Gen Caine in Iraq. “He seemed higher than any film actor you could possibly get,” Trump instructed the viewers.

In the identical speech, he praised the US army however stated it was “woke at the top”.

Gen Brown had been visiting troops at the southern US border on Friday, roughly two hours earlier than Trump’s publish asserting his departure.

Rumours had been swirling this week that the president would take away the commander, whose time period was set to run out in 2027.

Gen Brown made headlines in 2020 when he spoke out about race following the demise of George Floyd.

He posted a video message to the US Air Drive describing the pressures he had felt as one of many few black males in his unit, together with being questioned about his credentials.

In 2022, whereas chief of workers of the air pressure, Gen Brown co-signed a memo setting out variety objectives to spice up the proportion of minority officer candidates whereas adjusting decrease the speed of white candidates, in response to the Air Drive Instances.

Colin Powell was the primary black chairman of the joint chiefs of workers, serving from 1989-93.

One in every of Trump’s first acts after being sworn in final month was to fireside the primary feminine commandant of the Coast Guard, citing “extreme focus” on variety.

In November, earlier than he was confirmed, Hegseth stated on a podcast that there have been many issues in the army, together with variety initiatives, which the Trump administration ought to “course right”.

“To begin with, you bought to fireside the chairman of joint chiefs,” Hegseth stated in describing the steps he believed Trump ought to take.

The Pentagon additionally introduced on Friday that it could lower its price range and let go of 5,400 probationary staff subsequent week.

In the meantime, a federal courtroom in Maryland quickly blocked Trump from implementing bans on variety, fairness and inclusion programmes.

District Decide Adam Abelson dominated that the directives by Trump might violate free-speech rights in the US structure.