The U.S. Senate, under Republican control, has confirmed retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a 60–25 vote. The confirmation follows a delay pushed by Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who objected to President Donald Trump’s removal of the previous top military officer, Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr.

Democrats had argued that Brown’s abrupt dismissal was unjustified and part of a broader effort to politicize the military. The vote came shortly after the Senate returned from a two-week recess.

Despite the controversy surrounding Brown’s removal and the recent dismissal of several top military leaders, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti—the first woman to lead the Navy—Caine’s nomination faced little resistance during his confirmation hearing. The Senate Armed Services Committee advanced his nomination with a bipartisan 23–4 vote.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the committee’s ranking member, urged quick approval, citing growing global threats, particularly from China.

“President Trump deserves to have his top military adviser confirmed without delay,” Wicker said, describing Caine as having received “an overwhelming, nearly unanimous, bipartisan endorsement.”

Caine’s confirmation follows a shake-up at the Pentagon that drew sharp criticism from Democrats, who accused Trump of replacing experienced military leaders with loyalists. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a Trump ally and former Fox News contributor, had advocated for removing senior officers associated with diversity and inclusion initiatives, labeling them as “woke.”

Sen. Warren criticized the firings during a committee hearing, saying they sent “a chilling message about who is and isn’t welcome in our military.”

In his testimony, Caine pledged to remain apolitical and committed to the rule of law. He assured senators he would not follow unlawful orders and would provide his candid military advice to both the president and the defense secretary, even if it contradicted their views.

Trump praised Caine’s background in aviation, national security, and special operations, saying he had been “passed over” for promotion during the Biden administration but was now being given his due.

“Alongside Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Caine and our military will restore peace through strength, put America First, and rebuild our military,” Trump said in a statement, adding that more leadership nominations are forthcoming.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, emphasized the importance of independent military leadership: “I expect you to always provide your best military advice, even if that advice is not what the president or secretary want to hear.”

With Caine’s confirmation, Trump has secured another key win in his broader effort to reshape the military’s leadership and direction heading into a critical period of international competition and domestic political scrutiny.