President Donald Trump has removed Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing him with Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, a combat-tested leader with a record of decisive action. The move follows criticism of Brown’s leadership and his focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the Air Force.
President Donald Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, acknowledging Brown’s service but making it clear that military leadership must prioritize warfighting. Brown, appointed by Joe Biden, had promoted racial diversity quotas in the Air Force, seeking to lower the percentage of white male officers while increasing minority representation.
BREAKING: Trump just replaced Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles “CQ” Brown.
Dan Caine has been selected to replace him.
Woke is being removed from the military! pic.twitter.com/QuHawygLfj
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 22, 2025
Under Brown’s leadership, the Air Force actively sought to reshape its officer ranks by decreasing white male applicants in programs like ROTC. This effort was met with strong opposition from critics who argued that readiness should come before social policies.
JUST IN: General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters he plans to stay in his position.
Brown is obsessed with race-based diversity quotas. He signed a memo stating his "goal" is to reduce the number of White Males in the Air Force.
This man… pic.twitter.com/nxtpMrB7HV
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 20, 2025
Brown also drew attention for his response to the George Floyd riots, publicly expressing emotional concerns over the incident in a way some saw as political. Additionally, his tenure saw the firing of former Space Force officer Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier after he raised alarms about Marxism spreading in military ranks.
For all the leftists and politicized military pundits lamenting the dismissal of General Charles Q. Brown, where was your wailing about national security when Barack Hussein Obama fired nearly 200 Generals in five years? General Brown was released because he felt it more…
— Allen West (@AllenWest) February 22, 2025
President Donald Trump’s decision to install Caine, a leader instrumental in the rapid defeat of ISIS, underscores the administration’s effort to refocus the military on combat effectiveness. Trump also directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to identify additional leadership changes to restore the military’s mission.
