Former defense chiefs call for congressional hearings on Trump's firing
of senior military leaders
[February 28, 2025]
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five former secretaries of defense are calling on
Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump's recent
firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other
senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The
Associated Press.
The five men — who represented Republican and Democratic administrations
over the past three decades — said the dismissals were alarming, raised
“troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the
military" and removed legal constraints on the president’s power.
Late last week, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of
the Joint Chiefs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed that by firing
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 has defended the firing of Brown, saying that other presidents
made changes in military personnel and that Trump deserves to pick his
own team. Hegseth said he fired the JAGs because he didn’t think they
were “well-suited” to provide recommendations when lawful orders are
given.
The letter — signed by William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Jim
Mattis and Lloyd Austin — said there were no real justifications for the
firings because several of the officers had been nominated by Trump for
previous positions. And it said they had exemplary careers, including
operational and combat experience.
“We, like many Americans — including many troops — are therefore left to
conclude that these leaders are being fired for purely partisan
reasons,” said the letter, adding that “we’re not asking members of
Congress to do us a favor; we’re asking them to do their jobs.”
In the meantime, they said, senators should refuse to confirm any new
Pentagon nominations, including retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, who Trump
has said should be the next joint chiefs chairman.
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a meeting with Saudi
Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at
the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Trump’s choice of Caine is unusual. Caine, who is widely respected
in the military, would have to come back onto active duty but he
does not meet the legal requirements for the top post. According to
law, a chairman must have served as a combatant commander or service
chief. The president can waive those requirements.
Hagel is a Republican and Mattis, an independent, was Trump's first
defense chief. The other three are Democrats. Four of the five
served in the military, including two — Mattis and Austin — who were
four-star generals.
"The House and Senate should demand that the administration justify
each firing and fully explain why it violated Congress’ legislative
intent that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff complete a
four-year term in office," the letter said.
The chairman has a four-year term, and Brown had served a bit less
than 17 months.
In recent decades, a number of three-star and four-star officers
have been fired, but Pentagon leaders have routinely made clear why
they were ousted. Those reasons included disagreements over the
conduct of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, problems with the oversight
of America’s nuclear arsenal and public statements critical of the
president and other leaders.
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