Retired Gen. Brown Warns Against Using the Military for Domestic Politics

A retired U.S. general, Charles Q. Brown Jr., co-authored a Foreign Affairs essay criticizing the politicization of the military, arguing presidents should not deploy troops for politically contentious domestic tasks. The piece notes Trump’s use of the National Guard in blue cities and a broader purge of top generals, including scrutiny of Mark Milley’s actions, as part of Pete Hegseth’s push to reshape the military. Brown—who was nominated by Trump as Air Force chief and later fired in early 2025—is quoted warning that politicized military power risks degrading the force’s primary mission, amid ongoing tensions between civilian leadership and military leadership.