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Multiple former defense secretaries have called on Congress to take action following President Donald Trump’s firing of top military officials.
Some shit you should know before you read: Over the last three weeks, the Trump administration has terminated many senior military officials, including Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief Gen. James Slife, and the top legal officers (Judge Advocates General) for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. These firings, which came without clear explanations, have raised concerns among some lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News commentator and longtime Trump ally, had previously vowed to purge military officials he viewed as obstacles to the president’s agenda, particularly those he accused of prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives over combat readiness. Even before his nomination, Hegseth had publicly stated that he intended to fire Brown, claiming he was selected for his role due to his race rather than merit. Similarly, the removal of Franchetti, the first woman to lead the Navy, had been widely anticipated after Trump and his allies criticized her support for gender integration and personnel policies. These dismissals follow a broader pattern of Trump ousting Pentagon officials who challenge his authority, reinforcing fears that the military is being reshaped to serve political, rather than strategic, interests.
What’s going on now: In a letter signed by former defense secretaries Lloyd Austin, James Mattis, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, and William Perry, the group condemned President Trump’s recent firings of senior military leaders, calling the actions “reckless” and politically motivated. They wrote, “Mr. Trump’s dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military and to remove legal constraints on the President’s power.” The former Pentagon chiefs called on Congress to exercise its oversight authority and “hold Mr. Trump to account for these reckless actions and to exercise fully its Constitutional oversight responsibilities.”
The former defense secretaries also criticized the removal of Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. CQ Brown, who was only halfway through his four-year term, arguing that his dismissal and those of other top military officials were done for “purely partisan reasons.” They also said that Trump’s actions could have lasting consequences on military recruitment, discipline, and morale.
Another view: This all comes as President Trump has repeatedly vowed to overhaul the Pentagon, arguing that it had been mismanaged under the Biden administration and had prioritized political agendas over military readiness. His supporters point to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 as evidence of failed leadership, a moment Trump has frequently cited as a reason to bring in new military officials who share his vision for a more aggressive, combat-focused force. He has also been a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military, claiming they distract from the core mission of warfighting and weaken overall effectiveness.
