Caine, a three-star general whom Trump has praised since at least 2019, helped lead an operation in Iraq against the Islamic State during Trump’s first term.

President Trump has picked retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to serve as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. NBC News' Courtney Kube has details on Trump and Caine's past and the possible complications of getting him confirmed to the position.

Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense and a 2025 Wash100 Award winner, has announced the intention of President Donald Trump to nominate retired Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a press release published Friday, Hegseth also called for the nomination of key military positions.