Reports indicate that Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the sole female member of NATO’s military committee, was let go over the weekend without any provided rationale. She is among the few female three-star officers in the Navy and was the first woman to lead the Naval War College, a role she held until 2023.
As reported by the Associated Press, Chatfield received a notification from Adm. Christopher Grady, the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who conveyed that the administration intended to pursue a different direction regarding her position.
Sources suggest that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the decision last week, although it remains uncertain if he acted under the direction of President Donald Trump. Reuters was the first outlet to report on her dismissal, as noted by Fox News.
It is not clear if her removal is connected to any specific U.S. policy regarding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Both Trump and Hegseth have publicly expressed their views that so-called woke policies are no longer viable, actively seeking to replace leaders who support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as to dismantle DEI programs and related online content. The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is in the process of removing over 400 books from its library that contain DEI-related material.
In December, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative research group, sent a letter to Hegseth listing 20 general officers or senior admirals whom they accused of being excessively focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and other left-leaning initiatives. The AAF argued that such a focus undermines national security, and Chatfield was one of eight women included in that list.Chatfield was included on the list partly due to a speech she delivered in 2015, where she expressed concern over the House of Representatives being 80% male, asserting that “our diversity is our strength.” The organization noted that she referenced a slide from a presentation by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, which highlighted that “investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment can unlock human potential on a transformational scale.”
Chatfield, a Navy helicopter pilot and commander of a joint reconstruction team in Afghanistan, served as one of NATO’s 32 military committee representatives. NATO states that this committee offers the North Atlantic Council and NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group the majority of their military counsel, acting as a bridge between political leaders and NATO’s military framework. Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed his profound concern regarding her dismissal while criticizing President Trump.
“Trump’s continuous attacks on our alliances and his reckless disregard for decorated military officials compromise our safety and undermine our global standing,” Warner stated on X.
Senator Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also denounced the president’s decision to terminate Chatfield, labeling it as “disgraceful.”
Admiral Chatfield is among the finest military officers our nation has produced, having established herself as the United States Military Representative to NATO. Her 38-year tenure as a Navy pilot, foreign policy authority, and leading military educator, which included her role as President of the Naval War College, will leave a lasting impact on both the Navy and the broader military community. Admiral Chatfield’s legacy of dedicated service remains untarnished by President Trump’s actions. Reed further criticized Republicans for their silence regarding her dismissal, pointing out that Trump has dismissed ten generals and admirals since taking office. This follows the situation involving General T.
