WASHINGTON, Feb 28 – Five former U.S. defense secretaries have called on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump’s recent dismissals of top military officials, warning of potential political interference in the armed forces, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
The letter, signed by William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Jim Mattis, and Lloyd Austin, condemned the firings as unjustified and raising concerns about efforts to erode legal constraints on the presidency. The former officials, who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, urged lawmakers to scrutinize the administration’s actions.
Last week, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed by dismissing Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations; Gen. Jim Slife, vice chief of the Air Force; and the judge advocates general for the military services. Hegseth defended the moves, arguing that Trump had the right to select his own team, adding that he dismissed the JAG officers because he did not believe they were suited to advise on lawful military orders.
The letter urged Congress to block new Pentagon nominations, including Trump’s choice of retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine as the next Joint Chiefs chairman. Caine, while widely respected, does not meet the legal requirements for the role, which mandate prior service as a combatant commander or service chief. The law allows the president to waive these criteria.
“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,” the letter stated. Brown had served less than 17 months of his term before his dismissal.
In recent decades, senior military officers have been dismissed for reasons including disagreements over war strategy, nuclear oversight, and public criticism of leadership. The former defense chiefs argue that the latest firings appear to be politically motivated, further straining civil-military relations. Neither the White House nor the Pentagon immediately responded to requests for comment.
