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Washington — President Trump has alleged that Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominated to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, showed his allegiance by wearing a MAGA hat; however, Caine disputed this claim during his confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggesting that the president might have confused him with someone else.
“Throughout my 34-year military career, I have consistently upheld my oath and the duties associated with my commission,” Caine stated. “I reviewed the recordings, and I believe the president was actually referring to another individual; I have never worn any political merchandise or made such statements.”
Speaking at the 2024 Conservice Political Action Committee conference, Trump recounted a meeting with Caine in Iraq, asserting that Caine expressed admiration for him, saying, “‘I love you, sir. I think you’re great, sir. I’ll kill for you, sir.’ Then he puts on a Make America Great Again hat. You’re not allowed to do that, but they did it.”
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Caine reiterated that he has never donned a MAGA hat.
Trump’s announcement of Caine’s nomination came with the dismissal of Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who had only held the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for less than two years.
Caine’s nomination is notable as he retired just last year and is a three-star general, a position typically reserved for individuals who have served as four-star generals, such as joint chiefs or combatant commanders. Nevertheless, the president does have the authority to waive this prerequisite, in accordance with U.S. code.
In his announcement, Trump stated, “Together with Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Caine and our military will restore peace through strength, prioritize American interests, and revitalize our armed forces.”
Caine faced scrutiny during the hearing regarding a Signal chat in which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared sensitive operational information related to military actions in Yemen. Caine emphasized the importance of maintaining the element of surprise, stating, “We must always protect our war fighters and ensure that our operational details remain confidential across all information platforms.”
He also affirmed that he has consistently routed “proper information through the appropriate channels” throughout his extensive military career. When pressed further about the Signal chat, Caine declined to elaborate, noting that the Senate Armed Services Committee leaders have called for an investigation into the matter.
Prior to his nomination as chairman, Caine was the director of special programs within the Pentagon’s Special Access Program Central Office. As a qualified F-16 pilot, Caine has accumulated over 2,800 flight hours, which include more than 150 hours in combat missions.
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