Kaine confirmed as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff
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Dan Kane (Photo: Shawn Thew/EPA)
On Friday, April 11, the Senate of the United States confirmed retired Lieutenant General Dan Kaine as the leader of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as reported by The Washington Post.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the top military officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. Kaine’s nomination received backing from 60 senators, including several members from the Democratic Party, while 25 senators cast their votes in opposition.
During a Senate hearing in early April, Kaine recognized that he was an “unconventional candidate” for the role of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, yet he asserted that “these are unusual times,” and viewed his acceptance of the nomination as a form of service.
In late February, President Donald Trump made the decision to relieve Charles Brown from his duties as Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, a position he had held since October 2023.
Kane, a retired American lieutenant general and venture capitalist, served as the Deputy Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2021 to 2024. He became the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to assume the position without holding the rank of general or admiral beforehand, and he is the second individual to be retired at the time of confirmation.
While still a candidate for the chairman position, Kaine emphasized the necessity of continuing support for Ukraine even after the conflict concludes. This was outlined in his written responses to inquiries prior to the hearings in the relevant Senate committee.
According to Kaine, the United States along with its allies are examining Ukraine’s immediate military requirements for frontline defense, as well as strategizing on how to develop its future armed forces and defense industry to establish “long-term self-defense capabilities.”
- On February 12, 2025, the US Senate voted to appoint Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
- On April 2, the Senate confirmed attorney Matthew Whitaker, nominated by Trump, as the US Ambassador to NATO.
