WASHINGTON — Retired Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, published an opinion article in Foreign Affairs on July 3, 2026. The article, co-authored with Peter Feaver and Andrew Kragie, criticized the Trump administration's military policies and leadership dismissals.

Brown was removed from his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in February 2025 by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Lisa Franchetti was also removed from her position as Chief of Naval Operations in February 2025. In 2025, the Trump administration deployed thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to combat crime in major cities, including Washington and Los Angeles. The administration has also prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the armed forces and the government.

In the Foreign Affairs article, Brown wrote, "When presidents use the armed forces for more politically controversial missions, such as addressing urban crime, military work becomes more complex." He added, "Resorting to a military solution instead of correcting the underlying inability or dysfunction in civil institutions diverts the armed forces from their primary combat mission."

Brown spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival in late June 2026 regarding dismissals of Pentagon officials. He stated, "What is starting to happen now has nothing to do with merit." Brown also expressed concern for those still in service, stating, "It is important that we understand that all these people who are being dismissed have a lot of experience, and I am concerned about the impact this will have on those who continue in service."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised the work of the National Guard in Washington on July 2, 2026. Hegseth said, "They cannot see the law, order and common sense in front of them; there is nothing ideological in this group, there is nothing political in this exercise."

Why It Matters

The opinion article by Charles Q. Brown and his statements at the Aspen Ideas Festival address recent changes in military leadership and strategy under the Trump administration. Brown's criticisms, made after his removal as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, focus on the implications of using military forces for politically controversial missions like urban crime and the impact of leadership dismissals on military experience and career progression. These events followed the administration's deployments of National Guard and Marine troops to cities and its prohibition of DEI initiatives within the armed forces.