President-elect Donald Trump has been praised for his hardline approach to rebuilding America's military into what it was under his first watch -- more focused on warfighting preparedness rather than diversity initiatives.
Part of that approach involved the potential firing of some of the military's top leaders and commanders, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, according to Newsmax, NBC News reported that a conversation between Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the current JCS chairman, might have changed the president-elect's mind as far as firing him when he enters the White House in January.
The two men met during the second quarter of Saturday's Army-Navy football game in Landover, Maryland, where they reportedly had a good chat in the owner's box for about 20 minutes, sources revealed.
Until the meeting, it appeared that Gen. Brown was definitely on the chopping block as soon as Trump takes over the White House on Jan. 20.
NBC News noted that it was reported that Trump has changed "his tone" on firing Brown right away, meaning he could still serve out his stint as the Joint Chiefs chairman.
An NBC source reportedly told the outlet that during the game, Brown "congratulated Trump on his election and made it clear he was ready to work with the president."
Trump reportedly liked what Brown had to say.
Reuters had reported last month that Brown was slated to be one of the first top military commanders to receive his walking orders.
Newsmax noted:
Brown has served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since October 2023, when he replaced Gen. Mark Milley. His four-year term is due to expire in 2027.
Earlier this month, it was reported military leaders are rattled by a list of "woke" senior officers that a conservative group urged Trump's Defense Department nominee, Pete Hegseth, to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon.
Brown definitely has powerful friends that wield some level of influence over Trump's decisions, including retired Air Force Gen. Terrence "T.J." O'Shaughnessy, who works with Elon Musk.
The retired general is one of several military commanders who have advocated for Trump to retain Brown during the upcoming transfer of power. Brown reportedly met with the Trump transition team this week.
"The chairman is actively supporting the transition team and the process," a defense official told the outlet. "He is focused on ensuring that the president-elect and folks on his national security team are well-informed about both existing and potential threats."
Only time will tell if Trump decides to keep him, but if he does, undoubtedly his mission within the military will drastically change.
