Reportage > Relieved of Duty

Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., a history-making fighter pilot and the first African American to lead a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, was fired abruptly by Trump on February 21, 2025. Defense Secretary Hegseth made it clear before he took the secretary’s job that he thought Brown should be fired for “promoting DEI,” and he questioned whether Brown got the job because he was Black. This drawing is a record of Brown’s 41 years of service.