The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is developing plans to dismiss senior military officers who prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives over combat preparedness, according to a Breitbart report citing sources familiar with the matter.
The report said that President-elect Trump’s transition team is compiling a list of such officers. An executive order is reportedly being drafted to establish a panel that would recommend specific individuals for removal.
“This is for real. This [EO] has made the cut,” said one source, who noted that revisions and consultations with incoming Pentagon leadership are still underway.
Retired lieutenant colonel Pete Chambers and retired chief warrant officer 2 Samuel Shoemate, both known for their previous criticisms of DEI initiatives within the military, are reportedly assisting with the effort.
The proposed dismissals are said to target officers who allegedly prioritized DEI initiatives at the expense of combat readiness.
“They want to lop off the head of the Marxist snake. And so that’s the primary criteria that I’m trying to focus on,” Shoemate said in an interview.
The initiative aims to refocus the military’s priorities on combat readiness and national security.
One source expressed uncertainty about the feasibility of such a large-scale dismissal. The other source indicated the focus would be on officers associated with general Mark Milley, Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
This source said, “Every single person that was elevated and appointed by Milley will be gone. There’s a very detailed list of everybody that was affiliated with Milley. And they will all be gone.”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff consist of the highest-ranking officers from each branch of the US military.
The potential firings were revealed shortly after Trump named Fox News commentator and veteran Pete Hegseth as his pick for defense secretary. Hegseth has previously advocated for a significant overhaul of Pentagon leadership, stating in his book “The War on Warriors”:
“The next president of the United States needs to radically overhaul Pentagon senior leadership to make us ready to defend our nation and defeat our enemies. Lots of people need to be fired.”
The source also indicated that Air Force general C Q Brown, Milley’s successor, would likely be among those dismissed, according to the Breitbart report.
While some question the necessity and potential disruption of such a move, particularly during ongoing global conflicts, one source suggested the Trump team views the Joint Chiefs of Staff as bloated and believes replacements are readily available.
It remains unclear if the plans will be implemented or if Trump himself endorses them.