This is a disgusting accusation to try to pin to Trump.
In a recent MSNBC panel discussion on The Weekend, Symone Sanders-Townsend raised a controversial question regarding President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., suggesting that the general’s race may have played a role in his dismissal. This comment followed Trump’s announcement to replace several high-ranking military officers, including Brown, who had been serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump also revealed plans to nominate retired Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine as his successor, making this the first time in history that a president has selected a retired officer to lead the Joint Chiefs.
Sanders-Townsend, while discussing the firing on the MSNBC show, claimed that race could be an underlying factor in Brown’s removal, despite Trump having originally nominated him for the position of Air Force chief of staff in 2020. “What is going on?” she asked. “And I just, I mean, I feel like that’s what people across…what is going on here? Just really what is going on between CQ Brown, and I’m just going to say it — we need to ask the question: was CQ Brown fired because he was Black?” She went on to express confusion, claiming that Brown’s qualifications were not in question, given his Senate confirmation and esteemed record.
This line of questioning ignores important context, including Trump’s initial support for Brown in 2020. After Brown’s Senate confirmation as Air Force chief, Trump praised him as “a Patriot and Great Leader” and celebrated the historic achievement of having the first-ever African American military service chief. However, by 2023, Brown was nominated by President Biden to become the second African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Trump’s decision to overhaul military leadership, including plans to replace Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead one of the military branches, and other top officers, represents a larger shift in leadership priorities. The question about race, while prominent in some circles, misses the broader picture of the necessary changes Trump is making to ensure the military remains focused on America’s best interests, with leadership decisions driven by merit, readiness, and national security. The emphasis should be on ensuring that leaders are chosen based on their qualifications, not on their race or political alignment.