Hornets’ Nest: Hegseth Fires the JAGs

In February, SecDef Hegseth fired the Army’s and Air Force’s top uniformed lawyers (the judge advocates general, or “JAGs” for short). Two retired Air Force JAG major generals, Charles J. Dunlap and Steven J. Lepper, responded with online outrage. Both former JAG generals essentially claimed that SecDef Hegseth had overstepped his legal and moral authority and imperiled the nation, the military, and the rule of law. Their well timed writings stoked the political left’s furor occasioned by President Trump’s firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman Brown and CNO Franchetti. Both retired generals’ comments should be rejected because they ignore the most...