The Senate confirmed the lieutenant of the withdrawal Air Force. Then, “Razin” Caine will become the next president of the Chiefs of Staff set on Friday, occupying the position almost two months after President Donald Trump dismissed his predecessor.
Trump nominated Cain to become the main American military officer in February after abruptly dismissing General CQ Brown Jr., the second black general to serve as president, as part of the campaign of his administration to free the military of the leaders of the leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks.
The Senate confirmed to Cain 60-25 in a vote during the night at home for a two-week break.
Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in multiple special operations commands, in some of the most classified programs of the Pentagon and in the CIA.
It does not meet the previous requirements for the work established in a 1986 law, such as a combatant commander or service manager.
But the president can give up these requirements if there is a determination that “such action is necessary in national interest.”
Caine’s confirmation in the middle of the night, just before the Senate outside the city, occurs when Republicans have advanced rapidly in the Trump nominees already measure that the Democrats have been trying to delay the process and demonstrate that they are fighting against the trap.
The leader of the majority of the Senate, John Thune, R-SD, established the early morning vote after the Democrats opposed to accelerate the procedures in the nomination.
Even so, Caine was confirmed with some bipartisan support. At his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Caine said he would be sincere in his advice to Trump and promised to be apolitic.
He argued Trump’s story that Caine wore a “Make America Great Again” hat when the two first with.
“I have never used any political merchandise,” he said.
Caine was asked how he would react if he was ordered to lead the military to do something potentially illegal, such as the one used against civilians in the application of domestic law.
“Will you stand and go back?” Asked Michigan’s Democratic senator Elissa Slotkin.
“Senator, I think that is the duty and work I have, yes,” said Caine.
Trump’s relationship with Caine dates from his first administration. They with a duration of a trip to Iraq, as Trump told in a 2019 speech. He has said that Caine is “a true general, not a television general.”
Duration in his first mandate, Trump’s relationship with the then general president Mark Milley louds when Milley went back and the steps of Toks to try to avoid what he saw as an attempt to politicize the position.
It would remind the members of the military service that made an oath to the Constitution, not a president.
A few hours after the inauguration of Trump in January, Milley’s portrait as president of the Joint Chiefs was withdrawn from the Pentagon. The security authorization and Milley security details were also revoked.