Former top general warns military is being politicized

CQ Brown, retired general Forced to dismiss Last year, as the nation’s top military officer, he provided the most direct criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of U.S. troops, questioning the deployment of troops in U.S. cities and warning against tarnishing the service of the armed forces with politics.

In an article published Friday with two co-authors, Brown warned that sending the military into U.S. cities on “politically controversial missions” such as fighting crime could undermine its traditional apolitical role and divert it from combat missions.

Last week, he wrote an article in Foreign Affairs magazine in which he expressed concern about the Pentagon’s move to remove officers from the military promotion rolls, forcing senior personnel to retire.

“What’s starting to happen now has nothing to do with merit,” Brown said at a symposium on civil-military relations hosted by the Aspen Institute. “All of these people who have been removed from their positions are very experienced.”

His remarks came as panelists discussed efforts by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his aides to remove officers from promotion rolls and push others, such as Gen. Chris Donahue, into retirement. Resign from office On Thursday, he became Europe’s top Army officer after the Pentagon downgraded his command.

Brown, known for playing it safe and always trying to take a nonpartisan stance, noted in the article that both Democratic and Republican presidents have expanded the military’s domestic role during national crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brown did not criticize President Trump by name and did not mention Hegseth in the book. his thesis.

His cautious remarks contrasted with the outspoken words of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, who said in his 2023 exit speech that the U.S. military was sworn to the Constitution And don’t report to “wannabe dictators””, referring to Trump, who was stepping down from office at the time, and who had previously called Milley a traitor.

But Brown’s message remained clear, including his clear concerns about Trump deploying thousands of troops to Los Angeles during his second term; Washington, D.C.; and the White House saying public displays of force in Chicago and other cities were necessary to crack down on lawless behavior. After series of legal challenges, Trump administration ends Deployment efforts National Guard troops are deployed in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. But National Guard members are still patrolling Washington.

“Faced with a real national disaster, the public readily accepts help from the military,” Brown wrote in his article. “But when the president uses the armed forces for more politically contentious missions, such as solving domestic crime problems in cities, the military’s job becomes even more fraught.”

He added: “Resorting to military solutions rather than addressing the underlying incompetence or dysfunction of civilian agencies distracts the military from focusing on its primary combat mission.” [George] Washington knew that it was not the military’s job to rescue the republic from political impasse. In fact, if you ask too much of the military, you risk the entire enterprise. “

Brown, an administrator in residence at Duke University, co-authored the article with Duke professor Peter Feaver. Peter Feaver is an expert on civil-military relations who served on the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration. Feaver said during the Aspen discussion that both Democrats and Republicans are dragging the military into the nation’s culture wars, which include the Biden administration’s efforts to increase diversity in the military ranks. Duke alumnus and attorney Andrew Kragie also co-authored the article.

Frank Kendall, who served as Air Force secretary during the Biden administration, said Brown was “the epitome of an apolitical military professional” and that he spoke out of concern for the armed forces.

Brown, an African-American military officer and former fighter pilot, was nominated by Trump in 2020 to serve as Air Force chief of staff during Trump’s first term. At the time, Trump was praised for nominating “the first-ever African American Army chief of staff.” Trump added in a social media post at the time that Brown was a “patriot and a great leader.”

Brown was selected by former President Joe Biden to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the nation’s top military officer and the second Black general to hold the position. The first was General Colin Powell.

In his 2024 book “Warrior’s War,” Hegseth questioned whether Brown was chosen for the top military position because he is black.

In February 2025, while Brown was in Texas reviewing the government’s border mission, Hegseth called Brown to tell him he was being deported. Trump later announced the decision in a social media post.

Brown said during an appearance at the Aspen Institute that the Pentagon’s approach to personnel decisions has raised questions. “My concern is the impact it has on those who continue to serve. Will they have a fair chance to progress in their careers in the future?” he asked. “Anecdotally, I know some people are a little concerned about it and whether they’re going to have a fair chance.”

Write to Michael R. Gordon michael.gordon@wsj.com