WASHINGTON — A group of five former defense secretaries has reached out to Congress, urging them to immediately investigate President Donald Trump’s recent decision to dismiss the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff along with other senior military officials. Their concerns, detailed in a letter, center on suspicions that these dismissals could indicate an attempt to politicize the military.
These former defense leaders, who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations over the past thirty years, questioned the motives behind the removals, suggesting that they potentially remove legal restraints on presidential authority.
In an unsettling move last week, President Trump removed Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. from his position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. This was followed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s dismissals of Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations; Gen. Jim Slife, vice chief of the Air Force; and the judge advocates general for the military services.
Hegseth justified this by stating that the president should have the freedom to form his military team—drawing a parallel with other presidential administrations that executed similar personnel changes. He argued that the JAGs were not adequately suited to provide advice upon receiving lawful orders.
The letter, endorsed by William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Jim Mattis, and Lloyd Austin, pointed out the lack of valid justification for the terminations, especially since Trump had previously nominated many of the officers for different roles. These officers, they noted, maintained records of excellence, inclusive of operational and combat contributions.
The correspondence expressed worry that the dismissals might be motivated by partisanship: “We, like many Americans—including many troops—are therefore left to conclude that these leaders are being fired for purely partisan reasons,” it remarked, reminding Congress that their request aligns with legislative responsibilities, not as a favor.
The involved former secretaries recommended that lawmakers should halt confirmations of new Pentagon nominees, including retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, whom Trump has identified as a potential successor for the chairman role.
Selecting Caine as a candidate is unconventional as he is respected in military quarters but lacks the legal criteria for the post, not having served as a combatant commander or service chief. However, the president possesses the authority to make exceptions to these laws.
Amongst the signators, Hagel identifies as a Republican, while Mattis, an independent, served as Trump’s inaugural defense chief. The remainder align with the Democratic Party. Notably, four of the five once held military roles, with both Mattis and Austin reaching the rank of four-star generals.
The letter also argued that both the House and Senate should press the administration to account for each firing and justify breaching Congress’ stipulation that the chairman for the Joint Chiefs should serve a complete four-year term. This is particularly pressing since Brown had been in the position for less than 17 months.
Historically, three-star and four-star officers have occasionally been relieved of duty, where the Defense Department typically discloses the reasons—often linked to disagreements on strategic conduct in conflicts like those in Iraq or Afghanistan, stewardship of the nuclear arsenal, or voicing criticisms against the president.
