Trump fires top US general

President Donald Trump has fired US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown, the highest-ranking officer in the country, as part of a major shake-up of the top military leadership.

“I want to thank General Charles 'CQ' Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Trump posted on social media. He said five other top officers were being replaced.

Gen Brown was the second black officer in US history to hold the post, which advises both the president and the secretary of defence on national security.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously said that Gen Brown should be fired because of his “woke” focus on diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in the military.

Later on Friday, Hegseth announced the firings of two additional senior officers: Chief of Naval Operations Adm Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Jim Slife.

Adm Franchetti was the first woman to lead the Navy.

All three top officers removed on Friday were appointed by former President Joe Biden.

Hegseth said in a statement: “Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars.”

Trump said he would nominate Air Force Lt Gen Dan Caine - a career F-16 pilot who most recently served as CIA associate director for military affairs - as the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

Gen Brown was visiting troops at the US southern border on Friday roughly two hours before Trump's post announcing his departure.

Rumours had been swirling this week that the president would remove the commander, whose term was set to expire in 2027.

Gen Brown made headlines in 2020 when he spoke out about race following the death of George Floyd.

(With inputs from BBC)