Trump and Hegseth have begun purging senior military officers today.

Amongst those relieved (all for political reasons, not cause), include:

• Gen Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• ADM Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations
• Gen James Slife, Vice Chief of the Air Force

Additionally, the following Judge Advocates General will likely be removed based on Hegseth’s memo calling for nominations:

• Army: Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III
• Air Force: Lt. Gen. Charles L. Plummer

The memo also called for a nomination for Navy JAG. RADM Lia M. Reynolds (the Deputy JAG) is the acting JAG filling in since the outgoing head retired on January 1, 2025. It’s not clear yet if he intends to fire her, or if this one is part of a normal position-filling process.

The JAG is a 4-year non-political billet.

Trump has nominated retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John Caine as the new CJCS.

The US Code specifies the Chairman must have previously served as a former Vice Chairman of the JCS, one of the military service Chiefs of Staff, or a Commander of a Combatant Command. Caine has never served in any of these roles. And he’s retired.

The law also allows the Commander in Chief to waive the requirement “if the President determines such action is necessary in the national interest.” Trump appears to be using this provision.

It concerns me that the Trump administration seeks to accelerate the removal and replacement of the service JAGs outside of the normal billet rotation. At this point, any statement on why he is doing this is purely speculation. I have found no other reporting or primary sources about it yet.

Sources

• Trump administration fires top US general and Navy chief in unprecedented purge of military leadership
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Statement on General Officer Nominations
• 10 USC 152: Chairman: appointment; grade and rank