President Trump secured a significant win early Friday morning when the Senate confirmed his pick to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, in a 60 to 25 vote. The late-night decision capped off a tense standoff between the White House and congressional Democrats, who had initially moved to block the nomination.
Caine’s confirmation followed weeks of political wrangling after Trump abruptly fired the previous Joint Chiefs chair, Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr., on February 21 without publicly offering a clear explanation. The move drew sharp criticism from Democrats, especially Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who argued the dismissal was politically motivated and aimed at reshaping the military’s leadership with figures more aligned with Trump’s views.
Despite that backlash, Caine received broad bipartisan support. His confirmation hearing was low-profile and largely uncontroversial, leading to a 23 to 4 vote in his favor by the Senate Armed Services Committee. That support helped move his nomination forward despite the initial blockade.
Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chair of the Armed Services Committee, pushed for a swift confirmation, citing mounting global threats and the importance of ensuring stable military leadership. He emphasized that Caine had earned overwhelming bipartisan support in committee and said Trump deserved to have his military leadership team in place without delay.
The vote also sends a message about the Senate’s willingness to support Trump’s defense agenda even after a wave of controversial moves from the White House. In addition to Gen. Brown’s firing, Trump dismissed several other top Pentagon leaders in February, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s first female Chief of Naval Operations. Those moves stirred concerns among critics who say the president is politicizing a traditionally nonpartisan institution.
Democrats remained vocal about their concerns, warning that Trump’s shakeup within the Department of Defense is aimed at consolidating power and ensuring his orders aren’t challenged by military brass. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a strong Trump ally, has publicly advocated for removing senior officers involved in diversity and inclusion efforts, calling them part of a “woke” military establishment.
Still, Caine managed to navigate the political minefield and secure confirmation giving Trump a clear victory as he continues to reshape key positions across the federal government. With Caine now officially confirmed as the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the U.S. military, the administration has tightened its grip on defense policy heading into critical months ahead.