WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s option to be the highest U.S. navy officer, retired Air Power Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, endeared himself to the commander in chief by his navy name signal, “Razin,” throughout a gathering in Iraq years in the past. Officers who’ve served with Caine described him Saturday as measured and apolitical.
Trump stated Friday night time that Caine was his decide as the following Joint Chiefs of Workers chairman, making the announcement in the identical social media put up through which he fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who had held that job for 16 months after a profession as a history-making fighter pilot.
Brown’s ouster — adopted quickly by that of different navy leaders — got here as Trump and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth are pushing out officers who’ve supported variety, fairness and inclusion within the ranks. The brand new Republican administration says it’s centered on a deadly combating drive.
Caine retired in December. It was not instantly clear what it could take to recall him to active-duty service so he may undergo Senate affirmation.
Caine doesn’t meet the place’s stipulations, reminiscent of being a combatant commander or service chief, as specified by a 1986 legislation that does enable a president to waive these necessities.
“I do know he’s nontraditional, however that’s sort of what this administration seems for,” stated Chris Miller, who served as Trump’s final performing secretary of protection in his first time period.
Caine “undoubtedly is aware of how the Pentagon works,” Miller informed The Related Press. Caine has expertise, too, within the Nationwide Guard and has labored within the non-public sector.
“He is hung out as a citizen-soldier. The man’s been out, executed different issues. He brings a perspective that’s not conventional for a boss, which I feel can be a breath of recent air,” Miller stated.
Trump’s relationship with Caine dates to his first administration. They met throughout a visit to Iraq, as Trump recounted throughout a 2019 speech to the Conservative Political Motion Convention, or CPAC, the place he spoke once more on Saturday.
Trump stated he requested Caine why it could take two extra years to finish the combat in opposition to the Islamic State group. Caine informed him it might be as little as per week, if he did it his method.
“’We’re solely hitting them from a brief base in Syria,'” Trump stated Caine informed him. ‘”However should you gave us permission, we may hit them from the again, from the facet, from throughout — from the bottom that you just’re proper on, proper now, sir. They gained’t know what the hell hit them.’”
A query after Brown’s firing was whether or not Trump was looking for a loyalist as chairman of the Joint Chiefs chairman. Trump praised Caine — and condemned the present navy management — at an unrelated look in Miami this previous week.
“Common ‘Razin’ Caine was — he’s some normal. He’s an actual normal, not a tv normal,” Trump stated Wednesday, two days earlier than his Reality Social put up.
“We have now the best navy on this planet, however we don’t have the best high, high management. That’s why Afghanistan was such a horrible scenario and so embarrassing and so many different issues,” Trump added. “However after we wish to, with correct management, there’s no one even near us.”
Trump has beforehand urged that Caine is a political supporter. In a CPAC speech final yr, Trump recalled assembly Caine in 2018 in Iraq when he was visiting troops.
“He stated, ‘I’ll kill for you sir,” Trump stated. “Then he places on a ‘Make America Nice Once more’ hat.”
However Caine has been steadfastly apolitical, a navy officer who had served with him and stays near him stated Saturday.
“Gen. Caine doesn’t have a MAGA hat. He’s by no means put one on,” stated the official, who was not approved to speak to the media on the report and spoke on situation of anonymity.
Miller, the previous performing protection secretary, served on the Pentagon when Caine led the navy’s Particular Entry Program Central Workplace, which oversees what labeled data on weapons applications is shared with international governments.
That place “is among the most troublesome locations to work in the entire division due to all the congressional curiosity. You need to be actually, actually adept to deal with all the constituencies,” Miller stated.
Caine, like Brown, flew F-16 fighter jets. Final month, Caine accomplished an task for the CIA, and through an in-depth Jan. 27 episode of “The Afterburn Podcast” spoke at size about his life and profession.
“I grew up because the son of a fighter pilot. This was our household enterprise,” he stated. Each he and his father, who began his navy profession flying F-4 Phantoms, in the end flew the F-16.
Within the podcast, Caine had a message for younger folks trying to serve, or these already flying: “Cherish it,” Caine stated.
“And keep in mind that whereas flying airplanes within the navy at the least is epically cool, it is about one thing deeper,” he stated. “It is about serving our nation. It is about being keen to guard and defend this nation.”
___
AP Nationwide Political Author Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.
