‘Very Concerning’: Former Chairman of Joint Chiefs Discusses Declining Public Confidence in U.S. Military at IOP Talk

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Charles Q. Brown Jr. expressed concern about Americans’ growing perception that the U.S. military has become politicized under the second Trump administration at an Institute of Politics forum on Thursday.

The event was moderated by Harvard Kennedy School lecturer Eric B. Rosenbach, who asked Brown about falling trust in the U.S. military and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last week to remove four Black and female officers from a one-star promotion list.

“If what I’m hearing is being reported is true, it is very concerning, because it does start to erode getting order and discipline and ensuring that people are all given a fair opportunity,” Brown said.

Brown was also asked about Hegseth’s move to reverse the suspension of the aircrew of two U.S. military helicopters for hovering near the home of musician Kid Rock, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump. Brown expressed concern about how the move might undermine thorough military review processes.

“I don’t have all the facts on some of these, but having had to deal with situations of unauthorized flybys as a commander, having sat on promotion boards, reviewed results from promotion boards, I know they’re fair — based on merit,” he said.

Brown’s comments come amid growing hostility between Hegseth and Army leadership, who have clashed with Hegseth over his personnel decisions, including the recent move to change the one-star promotion list. Hegseth’s relationship with Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll has reportedly become increasingly strained. And just 30 minutes before the IOP forum began, Hegseth fired former Army Chief of Staff Randy A. George.

During the talk, Brown discussed Hegseth’s decision to cease partnerships with Harvard, the secretary’s alma mater. Brown said programs that bring military personnel to places like Cambridge were important for broadening the perspectives of service members, students, and faculty alike.

“They’ll get a perspective that they wouldn’t get if they went to one of the war colleges,” Brown said of military personnel, adding that their presence is also beneficial “for the students and faculty at Harvard.”

Brown also addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence for military purposes, especially in the Iran war. He said human judgement should remain part of the military decision making process.

“Someone has to make a decision and use their judgment — AI doesn’t have judgement,” Brown said.

Brown was nominated as the Air Force chief of staff in 2020 during Trump’s first presidency, becoming the first African American in history to hold the position. Brown’s confirmation hearings came amid a national reckoning over police violence in the United States sparked by the killing of George Floyd by white police officers.

Though he had not yet been confirmed to the position at the time, Brown said he recorded a video days before the Senate voted to confirm him, recounting the struggles he had faced as an African American person serving in the military. The video was played before the audience at the IOP Thursday night.

“I knew I was taking a chance,” Brown said. “But in my heart of hearts, I thought it was the right thing to do.”

In 2023, former President Joe Biden nominated Brown to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Brown served in that position until February 2025, when Trump abruptly dismissed him from his post.

Towards the end of the event, an audience member asked Brown what he would tell service members who come from diverse backgrounds and who might be losing faith in the Defense Department. Brown said he would advise them not to lose hope.

“I would say, ‘Don’t throw in the towel, and prove them wrong,’” Brown said. “I appreciate those that are still serving, because there’s an opportunity to prove that.”