Trump dismissed the commander of the U.S. Army and appointed a "ISIS liquidator" in his place.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have dismissed key military commanders. The new chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is John Dan Cain, who is not a four-star general.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing CNN.

The publication stated that on the evening of Friday, February 21, President Donald Trump fired the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Brown.

The President referred to Brown as a "wonderful gentleman" and an "outstanding leader," hinting at future dismissals.

"Finally, I have also directed Secretary Hegseth to seek nominees for five additional high-level positions that will be announced soon," he wrote on his social platform Truth Social.

Dismissals in the Navy and Air Force

Just minutes after Trump announced Brown's dismissal, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a statement announcing the firing of Navy Chief Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

"The dismissal of the second Black man to serve as the senior American general and the first woman on the Joint Chiefs of Staff sends a powerful signal from an administration that has outlawed efforts to ensure diversity and inclusivity in the military and government as a whole," CNN reports.

Hegseth also announced the firing of U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff General James Slaife. The Pentagon chief stated that he is "requesting nominees" for the positions of Army, Navy, and Air Force generals.

"Under President Trump's leadership, we are forming a new leadership focused on ensuring our armed forces carry out their core mission of deterrence, waging, and winning wars," Hegseth noted.

Who will be the new U.S. Army Commander

In place of Brown, President Trump announced the appointment of Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Cain as the new commander. This is an unusual move as Cain is currently retired and not a four-star general.

During the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, the President mentioned that he met Cain during a visit to Iraq, where he was serving as the deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Forces in the Middle East and the "Unyielding Resolve" operation aimed at defeating ISIS.

According to Trump, Cain came from "central casting" and could "complete the campaign to eliminate ISIS in one week." Trump described Cain as a "warrior" who "played a crucial role in the complete destruction of the ISIS caliphate."

Personnel decisions raise concerns

One prominent retired four-star general expressed serious concern regarding Charles Brown's dismissal, stating that it is "sad politically and tragic for our nation."

Don Christensen, a retired military judge who served as the chief prosecutor for the Air Force, noted that such personnel decisions give the impression that the administration "wants more compliant individuals in these roles."

The publication reminded that dismissals had been anticipated for several weeks, and rumors about upcoming firings circulated in the Pentagon. However, discussions about Brown's and others' dismissals intensified when an official list was recently shared with some Republican lawmakers.

As CNN pointed out, federal law requires the President to select senior military officers from combat commands or military service chiefs holding so-called "four-star" positions (general or admiral - ed.). However, the law also allows the President to waive this requirement if "such actions are necessary in the interest of national security."

Let us recall that Hegseth tasked the department's leadership with developing a defense budget reduction over the next five years.

The head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk will also be involved in cutting Pentagon funding.