Senate confirms Trump nominee Dan Caine for chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in overnight vote

Senate confirms retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine as next Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman amid controversy.

The Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday (April 11, 2025) filling the position almost two months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor.

Mr. Trump nominated Mr. Caine to become the top U.S. military officer in February after abruptly firing Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the second Black general to serve as chairman, as part of his administration’s campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks. The Senate confirmed Mr. Caine 60-25 in an overnight vote before heading home for a two-week recess.

Mr. 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. He does not meet prerequisites for the job set out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or service chief. But those requirements can be waived by the President if there is a determination that “such action is necessary in the national interest.”

Mr. Caine’s confirmation in the middle of the night, just before the Senate left town, comes as Republicans have been quickly advancing Mr. Trump’s nominees and as Democrats have been trying to delay the process and show that they are fighting Mr. Trump’s policies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., set up the early morning vote after Democrats objected to speeding up procedural votes on the nomination.

Still, Mr. Caine was confirmed with some bipartisan support. At his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Mr. Caine said he would be candid in his advice to Mr. Trump and vowed to be apolitical. He disputed Mr. Trump’s story that Mr. Caine wore a “Make America Great Again” hat when the two first met.

“I have never worn any political merchandise,” he said.

Mr. Caine was asked how he would react if ordered to direct the military to do something potentially illegal, such as being used against civilians in domestic law enforcement.