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Former Top General Warns the Military Is Being Politicized
The Wall Street Journal ^ | Updated July 3, 2026 4:51 pm ET | Michael R. Gordon

Posted on 07/03/2026 5:20:42 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

CQ Brown, who was fired as Trump’s top general, questioned the president’s handling of the armed forces

CQ Brown, the retired general forced out of his post as the nation’s top military officer last year, has provided his most direct critique of the Trump administration’s handling of the U.S. military, questioning the deployment of troops in U.S. cities and warning against tainting the armed forces’ service with politics.

In an essay published Friday with two co-authors, Brown cautioned that sending the military into American cities for “politically contentious missions” like fighting crime risked compromising its traditionally apolitical role and diverting it from its combat mission.

His essay in Foreign Affairs magazine followed an appearance the previous week when he voiced concerns about the Pentagon’s moves to strike officers from military promotion lists and push high-ranking personnel into retirement. 

“What is starting to happen now, it is not about merit,” Brown said at a discussion of civil-military relations hosted by the Aspen Institute. “All of these people who are being removed are very well experienced.”

His comments came as panelists at the discussion addressed efforts by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his aides to remove officers from promotion lists and push others toward retirement, such as Gen. Chris Donahue, who officially relinquished his post Thursday as the top Army officer in Europe after the Pentagon downgraded his command.


(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: blacksupremacy; charlesqbrown; charlesqueerbrown; courtmartialbrown; cqbrown; dei; gettherope; leftistsource; michaelgordon; michaelrgordon; wallstreeturinal
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Somebody please tell this boy that the military became politicized when the Kenyan took over. Every General and Admiral lined up to kiss O’Bozo’s butt. The tradition went on through Bidenskyyyyy with the Vindman Twins leading the way. This isn’t new. Don’t blame it on Trump.


41 posted on 07/03/2026 8:31:41 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (If two jackasses sneak onto a thoroughbred breeding farm, they'll still throw another jackass.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Hilarious considering he was a leftist political hack as were the rest of the generals Obama promoted.


42 posted on 07/03/2026 9:08:12 PM PDT by FLT-bird
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Undert Obama, it began being politicized!
S lot of “career generals”, covered their prospective retirement rewards and bent the knee.
Trump let them go, ready or too early, too bad.
We need PATTONS, not POWELLS !


43 posted on 07/03/2026 10:08:14 PM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

He should have sent a warning that DEI political officers are being retired or relieved. He could give first hand knowledge.


44 posted on 07/03/2026 11:11:38 PM PDT by Midwesterner53
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Politicization in the military has been going on since the founding of the US. President Jefferson had Meriwether Lewis put together a list of all military commissioned officers and where they political allegiances may lay.


45 posted on 07/03/2026 11:18:16 PM PDT by Fury
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To: Fury

n.b. determining political allegiance/affiliation of commissioned officers was not the only goal of compiling the list, but it was a major goal.


46 posted on 07/03/2026 11:27:39 PM PDT by Fury
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

And not a word from the MSM when the “magic negro” axed multitudes of military brass that loved America.


47 posted on 07/04/2026 3:53:43 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (Kimber .45 Be Kind.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Just ANOTHER DEI DUMBASS!


48 posted on 07/04/2026 4:23:05 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: johniegrad

Seems I read somewhere that the President is Commander and Chief of the Military. How did the General overlook the issue?


49 posted on 07/04/2026 4:54:49 AM PDT by chopperk (,)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Yep - the military had become seriously politicized by the time I retired in ‘98. In fact, I mentioned it in my retirement speech about how politicized it had become and how bad it was for morale - I reminded officers and supervisors that there was a time when one stood up for their troops but it had become political suicide because the way to get ahead now was to show your willingness to ruin the careers of others. I reminded them that while RHIP (Rank Hath Its Privileges for the non military) that RHAHIR Rank Also Hath Its Responsibilities), and I had found their sense of responsibility seriously lacking. I also mentioned that they had ruined the Awards programs by making it so that, instead of being put in for an award was the exception, but they had flipped it upside down so that those who hadn’t been put in for some bogus “award” were now the exception. It was nice to be “untouchable” and have a chance to vent.

This complaining turkey is part of the problem - Trump and Hegseth are the solution.


50 posted on 07/04/2026 5:25:17 AM PDT by trebb (So many fools - so little time...)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“...questioning the deployment of troops in U.S. cities...”

Because relieving officers and sending the military into US cities to quell rioting and insurrection has never been done before....

He basically admitted he’s a political hack.


51 posted on 07/04/2026 5:30:36 AM PDT by Justa (Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people....)
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To: Justa

This DEI token is mad that his DEI policies are being striped. He is a leftist and has been political for decades. Sooooooooooooooooooo glad he is out of the military.


52 posted on 07/04/2026 7:03:48 AM PDT by Emcane
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