Pentagon purge: Trump shakes up military leadership

The Trump administration has dismissed several high-ranking military officials in a sweeping overhaul of the Pentagon’s leadership, marking an unprecedented shift in the top ranks of the armed forces.

The shake-up began Friday when President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social the removal of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr., stating that he would nominate a retired three-star general as his replacement.

Following Trump’s announcement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the dismissal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife.

Hegseth further revealed plans to replace the Army, Navy, and Air Force’s top uniformed legal officers.

The removals mark an aggressive restructuring of military leadership by an administration that has been critical of the Pentagon’s strategic direction, accusing it of straying from its core war-fighting priorities.

Allies, critics react

The shake-up of top military leadership has drawn mixed reactions online. Supporters praised the move.

Senator Lindsey Graham said that, "every president deserves their team when it comes to national security," reinforcing the idea that Trump looks to surround himself with allies that agree with the direction he wants to take the armed forces in.

Meanwhile, Senator Elizabeth Warren said the move contributed to "a growing national security risk."