Five ex secretaries of defense are urging Congress to convene immediate hearings regarding President Donald Trump’s recent dismissals of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other high-ranking military officials, as reported in a letter acquired by The Associated Press.
The five individuals, who have served under both Republican and Democratic administrations over the last thirty years, expressed that these firings are concerning and raise significant questions about the administration’s intent to politicize the military, thereby undermining the legal limitations on presidential authority.
Last week, Trump dismissed Air Force General CQ Brown Jr. from his position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Following this, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth terminated Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations; Gen. Jim Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force; and the judge advocates general for the military branches.
Hegseth has justified the dismissal of Brown by stating that previous presidents have made similar personnel changes and that Trump is entitled to select his own team. He also indicated that he dismissed the JAGs because he believed they were not adequately equipped to offer sound advice on lawful orders.
The letter, endorsed by William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Jim Mattis, and Lloyd Austin, contended that there were no substantial reasons for the dismissals, as many of the officers had previously been nominated by Trump for other roles. It further highlighted their distinguished careers, which included operational and combat experience.
Many Americans, including numerous service members, have come to the conclusion that these leaders are being dismissed for reasons that are purely partisan, as stated in the letter. It emphasized that the request to Congress is not a favor; rather, it is a call for them to fulfill their responsibilities.
In the interim, the letter urged senators to withhold confirmation for any new Pentagon appointments, including retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, whom President Trump has proposed as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine’s selection is notable; although he is highly regarded within military circles,
he would need to return to active duty and does not fulfill the legal criteria for the position. By law, the chairman must have previously served as a combatant commander or a service chief, although the president has the authority to waive these stipulations.
Hagel is affiliated with the Republican Party, while Mattis, who served as Trump’s initial defense secretary, is an independent. The remaining three individuals are Democrats, with four out of the five having military experience, including two—Mattis and Austin—who attained the rank of four-star general.
The letter stated that the House and Senate ought to insist that the administration provide a justification for each dismissal and thoroughly clarify how it contravened Congress’s legislative intent regarding the completion of a four-year term by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The chairman is appointed for a four-year term, and Brown had been in office for just under 17 months. In recent years, several three-star and four-star officers have been dismissed; however, Pentagon officials have consistently articulated the reasons for these removals. Such reasons have included disagreements related to the management of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, issues concerning the oversight of the United States’ nuclear arsenal, and public remarks that were critical of the president and other officials.
