Senate confirms Trump nominee for chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in
overnight vote
[April 11, 2025]
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan
“Razin” Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
on Friday, filling the position almost two months after President Donald
Trump fired his predecessor.
Trump nominated Caine to become the top U.S. military officer in
February after abruptly firing Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the second Black
general to serve as chairman, as part of his administration’s campaign
to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the
ranks. The Senate confirmed Caine 60-25 in an overnight vote before
heading home for a two-week recess.
Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in
multiple special operations commands, in some of the Pentagon’s most
classified programs and in the CIA. He does not meet prerequisites for
the job set out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or
service chief. But those requirements can be waived by the president if
there is a determination that “such action is necessary in the national
interest.”
Caine’s confirmation in the middle of the night, just before the Senate
left town, comes as Republicans have been quickly advancing Trump’s
nominees and as Democrats have been trying to delay the process and show
that they are fighting Trump’s policies. Senate Majority Leader John
Thune, R-S.D., set up the early morning vote after Democrats objected to
speeding up procedural votes on the nomination.
Still, Caine was confirmed with some bipartisan support. At his
confirmation hearing earlier this month, Caine said he would be candid
in his advice to Trump and vowed to be apolitical. He disputed Trump’s
story that Caine wore a “Make America Great Again” hat when the two
first met.
“I have never worn any political merchandise,” he said.
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Lt. Gen. John Caine (Retired), testifies during a Senate Armed
Services Committee hearing to examine his nomination to be promoted
to general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of
Defense, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel
Balce Ceneta)
Caine was asked how he would react if ordered to direct the military
to do something potentially illegal, such as being used against
civilians in domestic law enforcement.
“Will you stand up and push back?” Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa
Slotkin asked.
“Senator, I think that’s the duty and the job that I have, yes,”
Caine said.
Trump’s relationship with Caine dates to his first administration.
They met during a trip to Iraq, as Trump recounted in a 2019 speech.
He has said Caine is “a real general, not a television general.”
During his first term, Trump’s relationship with then-Chairman Gen.
Mark Milley soured as Milley pushed back and took steps to try to
prevent what he saw as an attempt to politicize the office. He would
remind military service members that they took an oath to the
Constitution, not to a president.
Within hours of Trump’s inauguration in January, Milley’s portrait
as chairman of the Joint Chiefs was removed from the Pentagon.
Milley’s security clearance and security detail also were revoked.
___
Associated Press writers Lolita Baldor and Tara Copp contributed to
this report.
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