WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and other U.S. military leadership via social media. 

“President Trump’s latest Friday Night massacre has unleashed even more chaos with the firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and other top U.S. military leaders via social media, further weakening our national security and national defense and disrespecting those individuals and all who wear the uniform of the United States of America.
 
“C.Q. Brown is a true patriot. He is intelligent, accomplished, and well respected on both sides of the aisle and made history with his decades of exceptional service to our country. That wasn’t good enough for the president, who has chosen—yet again—fealty over proven ability to do the job and loyalty to the Constitution. 
 
“All of this continues to play into the hands of Vladimir Putin and others working to exploit the weakness Trump continues to broadcast and undermine the military, our government, our national security interests, and democracy worldwide.”