“WOKE” GENERALS
During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump spoke of firing “woke” generals and those responsible for the troubled 2021 pullout from Afghanistan. But on Friday, the president did not explain his decision to replace Brown.
“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump wrote.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been skeptical of Brown before taking the helm of the Pentagon with a broad agenda that includes eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the military.
In his most recent book, Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and military veteran, asked whether Brown would have got the job if he were not Black.
“Was it because of his skin colour? Or his skill? We’ll never know, but always doubt – which on its face seems unfair to CQ. But since he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards, it doesn’t really much matter,” he wrote in his 2024 book “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free”.
Brown, a former fighter pilot who has held commands in the Middle East and Asia, recounted experiencing discrimination in the military in an emotional video posted online after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests for racial justice.
Brown was on official travel when Trump made the announcement. Hours before Trump’s announcement, Brown’s official X account had posted images of him meeting troops on the US border with Mexico, deployed in support of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“Border Security has always been critical to the defence of our homeland. As we navigate unprecedented security challenges … we will ensure our troops at the border have everything they need,” Brown posted.
A spokesperson for Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
