President Donald Trump’s option to be the highest U.S. navy officer, retired Air Power Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, endeared himself to the commander in chief by his navy name signal, “Razin,” throughout a gathering in Iraq years in the past. Officers who’ve served with Caine described him Saturday as measured and apolitical.
Trump mentioned Friday evening that Caine was his choose as the subsequent Joint Chiefs of Workers chairman, making the announcement in the identical social media put up by which he fired Air Power Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who had held that job for 16 months after a profession as a history-making fighter pilot.
Brown’s ouster — adopted quickly by that of different navy leaders — got here as Trump and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth are pushing out officers who’ve supported range, fairness and inclusion within the ranks. The brand new Republican administration says it’s centered on a deadly preventing drive.
Caine retired in December. It was not instantly clear what it might take to recall him to active-duty service so he might undergo Senate affirmation.
Caine doesn’t meet the place’s conditions, akin to being a combatant commander or service chief, as specified by a 1986 legislation that does enable a president to waive these necessities.
“I do know he is nontraditional, however that is sort of what this administration appears for,” mentioned Chris Miller, who served as Trump’s final appearing secretary of protection in his first time period.
Caine “positively is aware of how the Pentagon works,” Miller advised The Related Press. Caine has expertise, too, within the Nationwide Guard and has labored within the non-public sector.
“He is hung out as a citizen-soldier. The man’s been out, finished different issues. He brings a perspective that’s not conventional for a md, which I believe shall be a breath of recent air,” Miller mentioned.
Trump’s relationship with Caine dates to his first administration. They met throughout a visit to Iraq, as Trump recounted throughout a 2019 speech to the Conservative Political Motion Convention, or CPAC, the place he spoke once more on Saturday.
Trump mentioned he requested Caine why it might take two extra years to finish the combat in opposition to the Islamic State group. Caine advised him it could possibly be as little as every week, if he did it his method.
“‘We’re solely hitting them from a short lived base in Syria,'” Trump mentioned Caine advised him. ‘”However if you happen to gave us permission, we might hit them from the again, from the facet, from throughout — from the bottom that you simply’re proper on, proper now, sir. They will not know what the hell hit them.'”
A query after Brown’s firing was whether or not Trump was in search of a loyalist as chairman of the Joint Chiefs chairman. Trump praised Caine — and condemned the present navy management — at an unrelated look in Miami this previous week.
“Basic ‘Razin’ Caine was — he is some basic. He is an actual basic, not a tv basic,” Trump mentioned Wednesday, two days earlier than his Reality Social put up.
“We now have the best navy on this planet, however we do not have the best high, high management. That is why Afghanistan was such a horrible state of affairs and so embarrassing and so many different issues,” Trump added. “However after we wish to, with correct management, there’s no person even near us.”
Trump has beforehand recommended that Caine is a political supporter. In a CPAC speech final yr, Trump recalled assembly Caine in 2018 in Iraq when he was visiting troops.
“He mentioned, ‘I am going to kill for you sir,” Trump mentioned. “Then he places on a ‘Make America Nice Once more’ hat.”
However Caine has been steadfastly apolitical, a navy officer who had served with him and stays near him mentioned Saturday.
“Gen. Caine would not have a MAGA hat. He is by no means put one on,” mentioned the official, who was not approved to speak to the media on the file and spoke on situation of anonymity.
Miller, the previous appearing protection secretary, served on the Pentagon when Caine led the navy’s Particular Entry Program Central Workplace, which oversees what categorised data on weapons packages is shared with international governments.
That place “is without doubt one of the most troublesome locations to work in the entire division due to the entire congressional curiosity. It’s important to be actually, actually adept to deal with the entire constituencies,” Miller mentioned.
Caine, like Brown, flew F-16 fighter jets. Final month, Caine accomplished an project for the CIA, and through an in-depth Jan. 27 episode of “The Afterburn Podcast” spoke at size about his life and profession.
“I grew up because the son of a fighter pilot. This was our household enterprise,” he mentioned. Each he and his father, who began his navy profession flying F-4 Phantoms, in the end flew the F-16.
Within the podcast, Caine had a message for younger individuals trying to serve, or these already flying: “Cherish it,” Caine mentioned.
“And do not forget that whereas flying airplanes within the navy not less than is epically cool, it is about one thing deeper,” he mentioned. “It is about serving our nation. It is about being prepared to guard and defend this nation.”
