‘Razin’ Caine is Controversial New Chairman of Joint Chiefs

As we watch President Trump and DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth slash away at the pathetic impact of DEI, we can now celebrate that they’ve taken a shot at one of the highest levels: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Instead of taking the traditional route to the appointment, Trump and Hegseth wanted to make sure that they chose a warrior in line with the administration’s goals:

In a 60-25 bipartisan vote, the U.S. Senate voted early Friday morning to confirm retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan ‘Razin’ Caine as the next chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All ‘no’ votes came from Democrats, with 15 senators not voting. For him to assume the position, the Senate also agreed to promote Caine and reinstate him to active service. ‘Congratulations to Dan ‘Razin’ Caine on his confirmation in the Senate as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,’ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement. ‘Your leadership will be a welcomed/vital part of ensuring we return the Dept. of Defense back to the American warfighter.’

What was so unconventional about selecting General Caine? First, he was brought back from retirement to serve; only John Kennedy had taken a similar action in selecting a Chairman. Second, he was only a three-star general (heaven forbid!). Third, he had not served as a member of the Joint Chiefs. Third, opponents pointed to his “lack of experience,” which might have pointed to his previous service time:

Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in multiple special operations commands, in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs and in the CIA. But he does not meet prerequisites for the job set out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or service chief. Those requirements can be waived by the president if there is a determination that ‘such action is necessary in the national interest.’

Finally, he made it very clear that he would not continue to espouse the DEI agenda:

During his April 1 confirmation hearing before the SASC, Caine spoke of his lengthy military career and the challenges facing the force moving forward. He further noted the importance of maintaining a strong national defense to promote stability throughout the world. ‘We can never forget that our number one job is to create peace through overwhelming strength, and if need be, fight and win our nation’s wars,’ Caine said.

It was clear early on that Hegseth would fire the incumbent Chair of the Joint Chiefs, Charles Q. Brown, who was a major proponent of the DEI program. Hegseth made it clear that DEI was no longer acceptable, and he had to make the appropriate changes:

‘First of all, you’ve got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,’ Hegseth said during a November podcast appearance. ‘But any general that was involved — general, admiral, whatever — that was involved in any of the DEI woke s‑‑‑ has got to go. Either you’re in for warfighting, and that’s it. That’s the only litmus test we care about.’

It’s about time that we staff the military with tough, fearless soldiers, and General Caine will help lead the way.