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Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump axes senior U.S. military official at NATO
President Trump has fired a top U.S. military officer at NATO headquarters in Brussels, drawing ire from Democrat lawmakers. Trump relieved of duty without explanation Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. representative to NATO's military committee. A combat veteran, helicopter pilot and the first female president of the Naval War College, she had been serving in the alliance role since December 2023. Chatfield's firing, first reported by Reuters, was quickly criticized by Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner, who posted to social media that he was 'deeply disturbed' by the act. 'Trump's relentless attacks on our alliances and his careless dismissal of decorated military officials make us less safe and weaken our position across the world,' Warner wrote on X. Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I), said Trump's dismissal of Chatfield is 'unjustified' and 'disgraceful.' Chatfield's '38-year career as a Navy pilot, foreign policy expert, and preeminent military educator—including as President of the Naval War College—will leave a lasting legacy on the Navy and throughout the military,' he said in a statement. 'Admiral Chatfield's record of selfless service is unblemished by President Trump's behavior.' Reed also called on his Republican colleagues to demand an explanation for the firing, calling it 'deeply troubling' considering Trump has fired 10 senior defense officials without explanation in the past three months. 'I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation,' Reed writes. Chatfield's ouster further calls into question the United States' future role in NATO, the transnational military organization founded in 1949. Trump has expressed skepticism about the alliance for some time and has often called on allies to invest more in defense spending. The Trump's administration's ire at its European allies was on full display in the leak of a Signal chat – revealed last month when the journalist accidentally invited to the unsecured messaging app group of senior officials posted the texts – with Vice President Vance said he hated 'bailing Europe out again.' Vance had been discussing the administration's plans to bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen. Chatfield also has been a target for conservatives, with critics labeling her as 'woke' for comments she made in 2019 when taking on the role as president of the Naval War College. 'I want to see members of this team offer each other respect for differences, for diversity, for the dialogue from which ideas and collaboration emerge,' she said at the time. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have sought to purge the military of all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, claiming it distracts from the Pentagon's warfighting mission. Chatfield is at least the 10th high level defense official pushed out by Trump since he took office in January. The commander-in-chief suddenly terminated Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. along with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first female in that role, as well as Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, Hegseth's senior military assistant Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short and the judge advocate generals for the Army, Navy and Air Force. And last week, Trump terminated the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, Gen. Timothy Haugh. All firings were handed down with no explanation given. Chatfield's removal comes as NATO's defense ministers are set to gather in Brussels at the end of this week for a series of meetings to coordinate military support for Ukraine and strengthen Europe's defenses. Hegseth reportedly will not attend the gathering — the first time the group of more than 50 country representatives will meet without the Pentagon chief also participating. There are also concerns over whether Trump could give up the U.S.'s leadership role within the alliance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump administration fires admiral in ongoing purge of senior military officers
Trump administration fires admiral in ongoing purge of senior military officers Show Caption Hide Caption Trump fires top military leaders President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth announced they are replacing several top military officials linked to the Biden administration. WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has fired Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. military's representative to NATO, the latest in an ongoing purge of senior officers. The Pentagon had no comment on the dismissal of Chatfield, the former president of the Naval War College and a Navy pilot. Last Thursday, the Trump administration fired the director of the National Security Agency, Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth, who has derided diversity efforts for weakening the military, also has fired a series of senior officers including the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown. Brown, who is Black, had been outspoken about his career challenges and the need for racial reconciliation after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020. Like Chatfield's firing, Brown's dismissal and others came without explanation from the Pentagon. Sen. Jack Reed, the senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee from Rhode Island, called Chatfield's firing 'disgraceful' and castigated his Republican colleagues for their complicity. 'The silence from my Republican colleagues is deeply troubling,' Reed said in a statement. 'In less than three months, President Trump has fired 10 generals and admirals without explanation, including our most experienced combat leaders. I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation." The Senate confirmed Chatfield to the NATO post in a unanimous vote in December 2023. Reuters first reported her firing. The Trump administration has also fired two other women admirals, the commandant of the Coast Guard, Linda Fagan, and the Chief of Naval Operations, Lisa Franchetti. In a Jan. 29 memo, Hegseth directed a task force to identify and eliminate Biden-era diversity programs in the military. At a Pentagon town hall earlier this year, Hegseth told a civilian and military audience that diversity efforts divided the military rather than uniting it. 'I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is our diversity is our strength,' Hegseth said. 'I think our strength is our unity. I think our strength is our shared history.' About 32% of the Pentagon's 1.2 million troops on active duty identify with a racial minority group. More than 17% are women.
The Hill
08-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump axes senior U.S. military official at NATO
President Trump has fired a top U.S. military officer at NATO headquarters in Brussels, drawing ire from Democrat lawmakers. Trump relieved of duty without explanation Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. representative to NATO's military committee. A combat veteran, helicopter pilot and the first female president of the Naval War College, she had been serving in the alliance role since December 2023. Chatfield's firing, first reported by Reuters, was quickly criticized by Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner, who posted to social media that he was 'deeply disturbed' by the act. 'Trump's relentless attacks on our alliances and his careless dismissal of decorated military officials make us less safe and weaken our position across the world,' Warner wrote on X. Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I), said Trump's dismissal of Chatfield is 'unjustified' and 'disgraceful.' Chatfield's '38-year career as a Navy pilot, foreign policy expert, and preeminent military educator—including as President of the Naval War College—will leave a lasting legacy on the Navy and throughout the military,' he said in a statement. 'Admiral Chatfield's record of selfless service is unblemished by President Trump's behavior.' Reed also called on his Republican colleagues to demand an explanation for the firing, calling it 'deeply troubling' considering Trump has fired 10 senior defense officials without explanation in the past three months. 'I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation,' Reed writes. Chatfield's ouster further calls into question the United States' future role in NATO, the transnational military organization founded in 1949. Trump has expressed skepticism about the alliance for some time and has often called on allies to invest more in defense spending. The Trump's administration's ire at its European allies was on full display in the leak of a Signal chat – revealed last month when the journalist accidentally invited to the unsecured messaging app group of senior officials posted the texts – with Vice President Vance said he hated 'bailing Europe out again.' Vance had been discussing the administration's plans to bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen. Chatfield also has been a target for conservatives, with critics labeling her as 'woke' for comments she made in 2019 when taking on the role as president of the Naval War College. 'I want to see members of this team offer each other respect for differences, for diversity, for the dialogue from which ideas and collaboration emerge,' she said at the time. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have sought to purge the military of all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, claiming it distracts from the Pentagon's warfighting mission. Chatfield is at least the 10th high level defense official pushed out by Trump since he took office in January. The commander-in-chief suddenly terminated Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. along with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first female in that role, as well as Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, Hegseth's senior military assistant Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short and the judge advocate generals for the Army, Navy and Air Force. And last week, Trump terminated the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, Gen. Timothy Haugh. All firings were handed down with no explanation given. Chatfield's removal comes as NATO's defense ministers are set to gather in Brussels at the end of this week for a series of meetings to coordinate military support for Ukraine and strengthen Europe's defenses. Hegseth reportedly will not attend the gathering — the first time the group of more than 50 country representatives will meet without the Pentagon chief also participating. There are also concerns over whether Trump could give up the U.S.'s leadership role within the alliance.
Politico
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Trump fires a top US military official to NATO
President Donald Trump has fired one of the top U.S. military officers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, adding greater uncertainty over America's role in the nearly eight-decade alliance. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. representative to NATO's military committee, was relieved of her duties, according to two NATO officials and a diplomat from a NATO country, who were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. They did not say why. The ouster of such a prominent U.S. officer at NATO adds more tension to Washington's increasingly shaky relationship with the alliance. The administration's antagonistic rhetoric against longtime NATO allies — including Vice President JD Vance's criticisms of European cultural issues, Trump's continued insistence the U.S. should own Greenland, and huge tariffs slapped on some of America's closest trading partners — are part of a widening rift in the transatlantic alliance. Reuters first reported Chatfield's firing. Chatfield came to the attention of conservative media in 2023, soon after taking the role. Critics labeled her 'woke' for comments she made when starting as president of the Naval War College in 2019. 'I want to see members of this team offer each other respect for differences, for diversity, for the dialogue from which ideas and collaboration emerge,' she said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denounced diversity efforts in the military as divisive within the ranks and distracting from the Pentagon's ability to win wars. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon spokesperson, did not respond to requests for comment. The firing follows Senate confirmation last week of Matthew Whitaker, the new U.S. ambassador to NATO. It also comes as defense ministers from across the alliance prepare to gather for a series of meetings on strengthening European defense efforts and planning more military aid for Ukraine. Chatfield was among about 200 military officer promotions blocked by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-Ala.) in 2023 over his objection to the Pentagon's abortion travel policy. A career helicopter pilot with several overseas deployments, she was the first female president of the Naval War College. She was promoted to vice admiral and to the NATO job after Tuberville lifted his hold on nominations. Chatfield had extensive experience with the alliance prior to her latest role. She held the deputy military representative job in Brussels from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, she was a senior military aide at NATO's military headquarters in Mons, Belgium. The NATO Military Committee, composed of military chiefs from all 32 members, holds a similar role to the joint chiefs of staff chair. The group advises allies on military matters and nuclear planning. She's not the first high level official the Trump administration has suddenly terminated. Trump fired Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown in February without any stated cause. The Air Force vice chief of staff, Gen. James Slife, and Hegseth's senior military assistant Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short were also fired in the February purge. Trump last week terminated Gen. Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, without announcing a reason. The changes in U.S. military leadership come as Europe and the NATO alliance consider a new coalition in which Washington plays a smaller role. Hegseth will not attend an in-person meeting at NATO headquarters where more than 50 nations will discuss military aid to Ukraine — although he may attend virtually. The meeting, known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, had been chaired by former Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin until Hegseth handed the reins to Germany and the U.K. this year. One U.S defense official said there are ongoing discussions over Hegseth's participation, while two NATO officials said they hoped if he didn't attend, Whitaker were granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Instead of heading to the monthly meeting, Hegseth is expected to visit Panama and Army Special Forces troops assigned to Central and South America. Trump has repeatedly mentioned 'reclaiming' the Panama canal.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump fires a top U.S. military official to NATO
President Donald Trump has fired one of the top U.S. military officers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, adding greater uncertainty over America's role in the nearly eight-decade alliance. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. representative to NATO's military committee, was relieved of her duties, according to two NATO officials and a diplomat from a NATO country, who were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. They did not say why. The ouster of such a prominent U.S. officer at NATO adds more tension to Washington's increasingly shaky relationship with the alliance. The administration's antagonistic rhetoric against longtime NATO allies — including Vice President JD Vance's criticisms of European cultural issues, Trump's continued insistence the U.S. should own Greenland, and huge tariffs slapped on some of America's closest trading partners — are part of a widening rift in the transatlantic alliance. Reuters first reported Chatfield's firing. Chatfield came to the attention of conservative media in 2023, soon after taking the role. Critics labeled her 'woke' for comments she made when starting as president of the Naval War College in 2019. 'I want to see members of this team offer each other respect for differences, for diversity, for the dialogue from which ideas and collaboration emerge,' she said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denounced diversity efforts in the military as divisive within the ranks and distracting from the Pentagon's ability to win wars. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon spokesperson, did not respond to requests for comment. The firing follows Senate confirmation last week of Matthew Whitaker, the new U.S. ambassador to NATO. It also comes as defense ministers from across the alliance prepare to gather for a series of meetings on strengthening European defense efforts and planning more military aid for Ukraine. Chatfield was among about 200 military officer promotions blocked by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-Ala.) in 2023 over his objection to the Pentagon's abortion travel policy. A career helicopter pilot with several overseas deployments, she was the first female president of the Naval War College. She was promoted to vice admiral and to the NATO job after Tuberville lifted his hold on nominations. Chatfield had extensive experience with the alliance prior to her latest role. She held the deputy military representative job in Brussels from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, she was a senior military aide at NATO's military headquarters in Mons, Belgium. The NATO Military Committee, composed of military chiefs from all 32 members, holds a similar role to the joint chiefs of staff chair. The group advises allies on military matters and nuclear planning. She's not the first high level official the Trump administration has suddenly terminated. Trump fired Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown in February without any stated cause. The Air Force vice chief of staff, Gen. James Slife, and Hegseth's senior military assistant Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short were also fired in the February purge. Trump last week terminated Gen. Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, without announcing a reason. The changes in U.S. military leadership come as Europe and the NATO alliance consider a new coalition in which Washington plays a smaller role. Hegseth will not attend an in-person meeting at NATO headquarters where more than 50 nations will discuss military aid to Ukraine — although he may attend virtually. The meeting, known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, had been chaired by former Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin until Hegseth handed the reins to Germany and the U.K. this year. One U.S defense official said there are ongoing discussions over Hegseth's participation, while two NATO officials said they hoped if he didn't attend, Whitaker were granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Instead of heading to the monthly meeting, Hegseth is expected to visit Panama and Army Special Forces troops assigned to Central and South America. Trump has repeatedly mentioned 'reclaiming' the Panama canal.
