Ex-US defence chiefs urge congressional hearings on Trump’s military firings

Five former US defence secretaries have demanded congressional hearings on Donald Trump’s firings of several military commanders, including the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, saying it was done for “purely partisan reasons” and weakens national security.

The five – including James Mattis, who served as defence secretary during Trump’s first presidency – wrote in a letter that they were “deeply alarmed” by the dismissals, which they said were “reckless” and unjustified by operational reason.

Trump fired Gen CQ Brown, the chair of the joint chiefs, last Friday night. The sacking was followed by an order from Pete Hegseth, the newly installed defence secretary, dismissing the head of the navy, Adm Lisa Franchetti, and Gen James Slife, the air force’s vice-chief of staff.

Hegseth also fired the top military lawyers for the army, navy and air force.

Calling on Congress to “exercise fully its constitutional oversight responsibilities”, the five defence secretaries argue that “the President offered no justification for his actions”.

“These officers’ exemplary operational and combat experience, as well as the coming dismissals of the Judge Advocates General of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, make clear that none of this was about warfighting.

“Mr Trump’s dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicise the military and to remove legal constraints on the president’s power.”

Overtly politicising the armed forces and subjugating them to the president’s will could damage the morale and operational capacity while lowering them in the public esteem, the ex-defence secretaries warn.

“Talented Americans may be far less likely to choose a life of military service if they believe they will be held to a political standard. Those currently serving may grow cautious of speaking truth to power or they could erode good order and discipline by taking political actions in uniform. And the public’s traditionally high trust in the armed forces could begin to wither.”

Apart from Mattis – a former Marine corps general who resigned as defence secretary after Trump announced the withdrawal of US forces from Syria – the letter’s signatories are Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator who served under Barack Obama; Lloyd Austin, until recently defence secretary under Joe Biden; and William Perry and Leon Panetta, who both served under Bill Clinton.

They raise particular concerns about the firing of Brown, the first Black joint chiefs chair who was removed from his post after just 16 months in the job.

“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,” they write.

As Brown’s replacement, Trump has nominated Dan Caine, a retired three-star lieutenant general who lacks the conventional qualifications for the role, which usually goes to the head of one of the three main armed services, a major combat commander or a vice-chair of the joint chiefs.

The ex-defence secretaries call on Congress to refuse to confirm Caine or any other Pentagon nominations until the administration has explained the firings in hearings.

“We’re not asking members of Congress to do us a favour,” the write. “We’re asking them to do their jobs.”

Trump has expressed longings that military commanders – who swear an oath to the US constitution – should be loyal to him personally. John Kelly, White House chief of staff during Trump’s first term and a retired general, told the New Yorker during last year’s presidential campaign that Trump repeatedly voiced a wish that generals should evince a personal loyalty comparable to what German military chiefs had shown Hitler.

In a statement, Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the White House national security council, said Trump’s actions were “well within his rights”.

“Our military readiness is down, we have faced historic lows in recruitment and retention, we aren’t building enough ships, and servicemembers are living in abysmal barrack conditions,” he said. “President Trump is taking bold action to ensure the joint staff is leading a well-run and lethal warfighting force that is second to none.”