Senate Armed Services Committee vets Lt. Gen. Dan Kane over civil‑military ties, classified chat, budget and acquisition reform

The Senate Armed Services Committee met to consider the nomination of retired Lieutenant General Dan Kane to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hearing testimony and questions that ranged from civil‑military relations and handling of classified information to defense budgeting, acquisition reform and readiness.

Chairman Wicker opened the hearing by praising the nominee's joint background, saying, “I believe President Trump has made an excellent choice in selecting him to meet the challenges.” Ranking Member Reid and other senators pressed Kane about the unusual circumstances of his nomination following recent dismissals of multiple senior officers.

Kane outlined his resume and pledged nonpartisan service. “For 34 years, I’ve upheld my oath of office and my commitment to my commission and I have never worn any political merchandise,” he said in response to questions about a widely reported anecdote. He told senators he would give “best military advice” with candor and would appear before congressional committees when requested.

The committee focused on several clustered issues:

- Civil‑military relations and politicization: Senators repeatedly raised concern about recent…