Why Trump wants to own the Pentagon
CNN
In a dramatic Friday night purge, President Donald Trump took decisive action to avoid a repeat of his first term when he tussled with senior military leaders, by firing America’s top general and removing others in an effort to ensure he has a fully compliant Pentagon.
In a dramatic Friday night purge, President Donald Trump took decisive action to avoid a repeat of his first term when he tussled with senior military leaders, by firing America’s top general and removing others in an effort to ensure he has a fully compliant Pentagon. At a good time to try and bury major news— Trump’s most senior military adviser, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown and the top US navy officer, the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti were both fired. Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also announced he is seeking nominations to replace the top military lawyers at the Air Force, Army and Navy who sign off on the legality of US military operations. None of these officials seem to have been fired for cause, such as poor performance on the battlefield or insubordination, other than a purported obsession with DEI in the case of General Brown, according to Hegseth’s 2024 book. Trump wants to remake the Pentagon, so he has total control over it. Of course, he is the Commander in Chief so it’s his prerogative to do so, but by firing Brown who is Black and Franchetti who was the first woman to run the Navy, Trump signaled that unquestioned loyalty will be the key qualification for these jobs rather than providing the best military advice to the president irrespective of American domestic politics, which is meant to be the key function of the roles. Trump has been obsessed with the US military from an early age. He attended a military-style boarding school in New York and one of his heroes is General George Patton, an aggressive battlefield commander during World War II. So, when Trump took office in his first term, he quickly surrounded himself with senior generals; retired four-star General John Kelly was his second chief of staff; retired four-star General James Mattis was his first secretary of defense and active duty three-star Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster was his second national security adviser.
The CIA is conducting a formal review to assess the potential damage caused by an unclassified email sent to the White House in early February identifying some officers by first name and last initial, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
A rift appeared to open Sunday between some of President Donald Trump’s agency heads and Elon Musk, the billionaire tasked with reforming the federal government, over Musk’s demand that all federal employees state their weekly accomplishments or risk termination.
A political conference in Washington, DC, that bills itself as the alternative to the Trump-aligned CPAC was evacuated on Sunday after a death threat made against several of its speakers who have been critical of President Donald Trump.
Approximately 2,000 employees at the US Agency for International Development will be laid off Sunday and a majority of the remaining full-time staff will be put on sweeping administrative leave overnight, workers were informed in an email.
A gunman who held medical staff hostage before killing a police officer and wounding five others at a hospital in south-central Pennsylvania Saturday is believed to have visited the facility in the days leading up to the incident, authorities said.
Looking right at Donald Trump on Friday afternoon in the Oval Office, Gov. Kathy Hochul tried a different approach from telling him he was acting like a king for his attempt to end New York’s pay-for-entry congesting pricing system.
In President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s latest move targeting the federal workforce, employees began receiving emails Saturday afternoon asking them to explain what work they did last week, as Musk announced that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Shortly after Donald Trump blindsided senators and endorsed the House’s plan to advance the president’s agenda Wednesday, Senate Leader John Thune convened his leadership team to navigate next steps.
Some didn’t even know they were being flown to another country until they actually landed in Panama, according to attorney Ali Herischi, who said “they were told they’re going to Texas.”
Some didn’t even know they were being flown to another country until they actually landed in Panama, according to attorney Ali Herischi, who said “they were told they’re going to Texas.”
A gunman who held medical staff hostage before killing a police officer and wounding five others at a hospital in south-central Pennsylvania Saturday is believed to have visited the facility in the days leading up to the incident, authorities said.
Shortly after Donald Trump blindsided senators and endorsed the House’s plan to advance the president’s agenda Wednesday, Senate Leader John Thune convened his leadership team to navigate next steps.
Some didn’t even know they were being flown to another country until they actually landed in Panama, according to attorney Ali Herischi, who said “they were told they’re going to Texas.”