WASHINGTON—Today, The Heritage Foundation heralded President Trump’s military leadership changes at the U.S. Department of Defense, including the retirements of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Lisa M. Franchetti, among others, and welcomed the nomination of Lieutenant General John D. Caine for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

Heritage Vice President Victoria Coates of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy stated: 

“Every president has the right to choose their own leadership team, including in the military. President Trump’s choice of Lieutenant General Caine to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is an inspired choice that is untainted by past policy and leadership failures. His decision is consistent with historical precedent such as when President John F. Kennedy chose to bring retired General Maxwell D. Taylor, a former Army Chief of staff, back to active duty to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff due to the Bay of Pigs debacle.

“Similarly, presidents have also selected nontraditional generals and flag officers for chairman, signaling a new leadership direction such as President Eisenhower’s selection of Admiral Arthur W. Radford, the then Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, in 1953 to support a new approach to the war in Korea and President Reagan’s choice of Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army General John W. Vessey, Jr. to be chairman in 1982 focused on restoring the U.S. military.

“Many presidents have curtailed the tours of different Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including President Kennedy who did not renominate Chairman Lyman L. Lemnitzer due, in part, to the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion as well as President George W. Bush, who similarly did not renominate Chairman Peter Pace due to differences over a new Iraq War strategy, among other factors.” 

Heritage Director of the Allison Center for National Security Robert Greenway added:  

“Accountability begins at the top, and President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth have made bold decisions on the leadership and policy directions they want to take at the Pentagon. Whether it was DEI initiatives run amok, acquisition and procurement programs behind schedule, or weakness in deterring aggressive Chinese military actions, it was time for change.

 

“I have known Lieutenant General Caine for four decades and know of no one better qualified to restore accountability and a focus on warfighting to our Military.

“President Trump’s decision to seek a new nominee for Chief of Naval Operations is also a wise and necessary choice in the face of an increasingly aggressive Chinese military.  Several CNOs have had their tours ended early based upon leadership failures.  President Truman forced the retirement of Admiral Louis E. Denfield in 1949 due to his role in the “Revolt of the Admirals,” President Kennedy forced the retirement of Admiral George W. Anderson, Jr. in 1963 due to differences over the implementation of the U.S. blockade of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and President Bill Clinton forced the retirement of Admiral Frank Kelso II in 1994 due to the Tailhook scandal surrounding allegations of sexual harassment.

“It is time for new leadership at the Pentagon focused on restoring our military’s lethality, promoting accountability, saving tax dollars, and building a first-class military able to deter and defeat our nation’s adversaries.”