Five former U.S. defense secretaries have issued a rare and pointed rebuke of President Donald Trump, condemning his recent firings of top military officials as “reckless” and politically motivated. In a joint letter released Thursday, they urged Congress to block the confirmation of the president’s proposed replacements and investigate the implications of what they called a dangerous politicization of the military.
The letter, signed by James Mattis, William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, and Lloyd Austin, accused Trump of undermining the nonpartisan foundation of the U.S. military and using the dismissals to erode legal checks on his presidential authority.
“President Trump’s actions undermine our all-volunteer force and weaken our national security,” the letter stated. “These dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military.”
The former defense chiefs include both Democratic appointees and James Mattis, who served as Trump’s own Secretary of Defense from 2017 to 2019. Their joint statement comes after the abrupt dismissal of General C.Q. Brown, the second Black officer to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead a military service.
No clear explanation has been provided for the shakeup, which also affected legal counsels from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Critics say the timing and scope suggest an attempt to consolidate power and remove dissenting voices from the Pentagon.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, known for his opposition to diversity programs within the military, defended the firings during an appearance on Fox News. He said that while General Brown was “honorable,” he was “not the right man for the moment.” Hegseth also dismissed criticism that Brown’s appointment had been based on race, despite having previously questioned the role race played in the nomination.
Trump has nominated retired three-star General Dan Caine, a former F-16 pilot, to replace Brown. Caine would be promoted to four-star general and must face Senate confirmation for a four-year term as the top military officer.
The former secretaries urged Congress to halt any further Pentagon nominations until a full review of the dismissals is conducted. “Senators should refuse to confirm any new Defense Department nominations, including that of retired Lt. General Dan Caine as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” the letter said.
They also warned that politicizing military leadership could deter qualified individuals from serving and discourage open dialogue within the armed forces. “It could also have a chilling effect on speaking ‘truth to power,’” they added.
Since returning to office on January 20 for a second term, Trump has moved quickly to dismiss hundreds of civil servants and senior officials across various agencies. Observers see the Pentagon firings as part of a broader strategy to install loyalists and sideline those viewed as obstacles.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, lawmakers are weighing possible hearings. With Republicans holding majorities in both chambers of Congress, it remains to be seen whether they will act on the former defense chiefs’ call for oversight.
“We write to urge the U.S. Congress to hold Mr. Trump to account for these reckless actions and to exercise fully its Constitutional oversight responsibilities,” the letter concluded.
The controversy comes amid growing concern that the politicization of military leadership could erode trust in the armed forces and damage America’s global reputation. As the Senate prepares to consider Caine’s nomination, the debate over civilian control, military independence, and democratic norms is likely to intensify.
